Performance of the HerpeSelect (Focus) and Kalon enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for detection of antibodies against herpes simplex virus type 2 by use of monoclonal antibody-blocking enzyme immunoassay and clinicovirological reference standards in Brazil.

A total of 586 serum samples were used to evaluate the performance of type-specific herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) by using the monoclonal antibody-blocking enzyme immunoassay (MAb-EIA) and a clinicovirological panel as reference standards. The Kalon and HerpeSelect ELISAs had similar sensitivities (93.5% and 93.8% compared with the results obtained by MAb-EIA, respectively, and 100% for both ELISAs compared with the results obtained with a clinicovirological panel). The Kalon ELISA had a higher specificity (96.5% and 96.8% compared with the results obtained by MAb-EIA and with a clinicovirological panel, respectively) than the HerpeSelect ELISA (86.9% and 94% compared with the results obtained by MAb-EIA and with a clinicovirological panel, respectively). A higher cutoff significantly improved the specificity of the HerpeSelect ELISA.