Herpes Virus Testing

The Herpes viruses family is widespread and linked to a variety of human disease states. There are currently 9 known (variants) in this family of viruses.

After extensive research, AIBioTech has developed a proprietary panel of DNA-based tests that can not only detect the presence of virus but can also measure the levels (i.e., viral load) of these viruses in the blood. Our panel is variant-specific and can therefore detect each specific variant even in the presence of other closely related members of the family.

AIBioTech is CLIA and AABB accredited.

The Problem

The various herpes viruses are endemic and there is an urgent need for effective ways to test for their presence. Similarly, monitoring the course of treatment is an urgent need. However there are serious shortcomings in current methods of detecting human herpes viruses. For the most part, current methods are time-consuming and insensitive both to viral strain and to viral concentrations. They also lack the necessary sensitivity to detect very low levels of virus.

Furthermore, large volumes of physiological samples may be required and the lack of reproducible measurements from peripheral blood samples usually means that considerably more invasively obtained physiological samples, such as cerebrospinal fluid, must be obtained.

The Human Herpes Virus (HHV) Story

There are eight known human herpes viruses. The alpha herpesvirinae include the simplex viruses, HSV 1, HSV 2 and the varicellovirus (VZV or HHV 3). The beta herpesviriniae include HHV 5 (cytomegalovirus; CMV or HHV 5), HHV 6 and HHV 7 (roseolovirus). The gamma herpes virinae HHV 4 (epstein barr virus or EBV) and HHV 8 (rhadinovirus).

It is estimated that more than 90% of the world population has been exposed to EBV which is associated with infectious mononucleosis ("glandular fever"). There is also a well-established relationship between EBV and oncogenesis, particularly in relation to Burkitt's lymphoma nasopharyngeocarcinoma. Infection is also associated with immuno-suppressed patients and with patients suffering from Hodgkin's disease.

CMV (HHV 5) is significant in today’s population and is known to cause lung infections in immune-suppressed patients. Infection with HHV 5 is very common. The virus is probably transmitted by saliva, sexual contact, droplets and blood transfusions. EBV and CMV are both associated with chronic-fatigue syndrome (CFS), affecting about six in every 100,000 people.

The pathogenic role of HHV 6 is less clearly characterized, however it's associated with roseola infantum infection in children and with immuno-compromised patients. The influence of HHV 6 infection in AIDS patients may be important, but is still unclear. Perhaps the most significant aspect of HHV 6 infection is its association with multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). However, no definitive viral connection has yet been made.

At present there is no clear evidence for the direct involvement of HHV 7 in any human disease, but it has been suggested that it's associated in HHV 6-related infections. HHV 8 appears to be linked with Kaposi’s Sarcoma.

The Solution

Through a unique bioinformatics approach, AIBioTech scientists have developed and patented the most sensitive molecular assays available to detect and identify herpes viruses including specific assays for HHV 1 + 2, 2, 4, 5, 6, 6a, 6b, 7, and 8.

In high through-put format, using the TaqMan™ assay platform, AIBioTech is able to assay peripheral serum samples in rapid fashion and quantify the level of viral DNA present in each sample. The AIBioTech assay platform of the HHVs offers a significant advance for detecting, identifying and monitoring the course of infection.

U.S. Patent 7338761

Rapid Turnaround

AIBioTech's experienced staff and extensive equipment allows a rapid turnaround time of a few days, regardless of the number of samples submitted. AIBioTech is also able to accommodate large numbers of samples submitted simultaneously. With as little as 1 mL serum or cerebrospinal fluid, AIBioTech can perform selected assays or a full panel of HHV assays (usually HHV 4, 5, 6 and 7).

DISCLAIMER: Please note that the HHV assays are experimental in nature and that the AIBioTech assay platform has not been validated by the FDA or any other regulatory authority.