PCR-BASED DIAGNOSIS OF A CASE OF HERPETIC WHITLOW IN AN AIDS PATIENT

• Main Authors: NOGUEIRA Maurício L., OLIVEIRA Adriana F., ARAUJO Janaína G., GALLO Márcio A., FONSECA João G. M., BONJARDIM Claudio A., FERREIRA Paulo C.P., KROON Erna G.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 1998
• Subjects: Herpesvirus; PCR; AIDS; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/4031c0c9693f4058925fe8298f5d3ca1

Herpetic infections are common complications in AIDS patients. The clinical features could be uncommon and antiviral chemotherapy is imperative. A rapid diagnosis could prevent incorrect approaches and treatment. The polymerase chain reaction is a rapid, specific and sensible method for DNA amplification and diagnosis of infectious diseases, especially viral diseases. This approach has some advantages compared with conventional diagnostic procedures. Recently we have reported a new PCR protocol to rapid diagnosis of herpetic infections with suppression of the DNA extraction step. In this paper we present a case of herpetic whitlow with rapid diagnosis by HSV-1 specific polymerase chain reaction using the referred protocol.