Virus morphology as an aid for rapid diagnosis

Yale J Biol Med. 1980 Jan-Feb;53(1):19-25.

Abstract

Standard methods of virus diagnosis may take many days to complete. As antiviral drugs are being used with more effectiveness, it becomes more important to develop rapid diagnostic methods. It takes only a few minutes to prepare and examine a specimen for electron microscopy (EM), using the negative staining technique. Viruses in the specimen can readily be identified by their morphology. In order to be detected by EM there must be at least 10(7) virus particles per milliliter of sample. This concentration is frequently found in certain types of specimens. The sensitivity of EM is increased 100-fold if homologous antibody is used to aggregate the virus. Visualization of virus-antibody aggregates forms the basis for serotyping by immunoelectron microscopy (IEM).

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antigen-Antibody Complex
  • Herpesviridae Infections / diagnosis
  • Herpesviridae Infections / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Techniques
  • Microscopy, Electron / methods*
  • Picornaviridae / immunology
  • Picornaviridae / ultrastructure
  • Serotyping
  • Staining and Labeling / methods
  • Virus Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Virus Diseases / immunology
  • Virus Diseases / microbiology
  • Viruses / ultrastructure*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antigen-Antibody Complex