Comparative Performance of ELISA and Western Blot for HSV-2

This research article evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of two ELISA-based assays, HerpeSelect 2 and NovaLisa, in comparison to the Euroimmun Western Blot (WB) assay for detecting HSV-2-specific IgG antibodies. The study involved the analysis of 400 serum samples collected from adult males in Qatar. The results indicated that HerpeSelect exhibited a sensitivity of 78.8% and a specificity of 78.3%, while NovaLisa showed a sensitivity of 69.7% and a specificity of 66.9%. Both assays were found to overestimate HSV-2 seroprevalence when compared to the WB, which reported a seroprevalence of 8.3%. The study highlights the high false-positive rates associated with both ELISA assays, suggesting that confirmatory testing is necessary to improve diagnostic accuracy in low-prevalence populations. The findings underscore the importance of accurate serodiagnosis for effective management and epidemiological surveillance of HSV-2 infections.