First identification of the herpes simplex virus by skin‐dedicated ex vivo fluorescence confocal microscopy during herpetic skin infections. (26th December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cinotti, E.; Perrot, J. L.; Labeille, B.; Campolmi, N.; Thuret, G.; Naigeon, N.; Bourlet, T.; Pillet, S.; Cambazard, F.
• Is Part Of: Clinical and experimental dermatology. Volume 40:Number 4(2015)
• Page Start: 421
• Page End: 425
• Publication Date: 2014-12-26
• Subjects: Skin -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 616.5
• DOI: 10.1111/ced.12546
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0307-6938

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="ced12546-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <sec id="ced12546-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Skin‐dedicated <italic>ex vivo</italic> fluorescence confocal microscopy (FCM) has so far been used to identify cutaneous tumours on freshly excised samples using acridine orange as fluorochrome.</p> </sec> <sec id="ced12546-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Aim</title> <p>To use FCM for a new indication, namely, the identification of the herpes simplex virus (HSV) in skin lesions, using fluorescent antibodies.</p> </sec> <sec id="ced12546-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Six roof samples from skin vesicles suspicious for HSV lesions were incubated with anti‐HSV‐1 and anti‐HSV‐2 antibodies coupled with fluorescein isothiocyanate, and examined under skin‐dedicated <italic>ex vivo </italic>FCM. The positive controls were swabs taken from the floor of each vesicle and observed under conventional direct fluorescence assay (DFA) and by viral cultures. Roof samples from three bullae of bullous pemphigoid were the negative controls.</p> </sec> <sec id="ced12546-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Using <italic>ex vivo </italic>FCM, the samples from the lesions clinically suspicious for HSV infection were seen to be fluorescent after incubation with anti‐HSV‐1, and were negative after incubation with anti‐HSV‐2 antibodies. Conventional DFA with an optical microscope and cultures confirmed the presence of HSV‐1 infection.</p> </sec> <sec id="ced12546-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>By using fluorescent antibodies to identify precise structures, <italic>ex vivo </italic>FCM can be used for indications other than tumour identification. More specifically, it can be an additional diagnostic tool for HSV infection.</p> </sec> </abstract>