25 Jul
DNA testing is analytically more sensitive than culture, especially in patients with encephalitis or meningitis. DNA testing may be useful in diagnosis of infection in neonates. Neonates who have been exposed to HSV can develop disseminated infection and encephalitis. Encephalitisis usually due to HSV I whereas meningitis is usually due to HSV
II. This PCR assay detects HSV by amplification of single sharing
gene for both HSV 1 & 2.