[Comparative value of temperature marker and neutralization test for subtyping of herpes simplex viruses (author's transl)].

Two methods for the differentiation of herpes simplex virus (HSV)--rct and neutralization by specific antisera--have been applied to 8 prototype strains and 105 strains isolated from various clinical cases. The evaluation of the II/I index allows to choose the most specific rabbit antisera. The rct 40 degrees 3 C marker test gives comparable results for HSV grown in RK13 and human fibroblasts as well; it is in agreement with the immunological test in 48% of the cases. The delta tc values used to express the immunological typing allow to differentiate 76% of the strains (types 1 and 2). The others (24%) are equally neutralized by both specific antisera; they represent "intermediate" strains. The infection of man and animal by HSV (type 1, 2 or "intermediate") also produces heterospecific antibodies in variable amount. From clinical and immunological data rises the hypothesis that "intermediate" strains derive from HSV1 strains by antigenic variation during a persistent infection.