Trends in the Laboratory Diagnosis of Viral Infections

Abstract

Refinements in viral culture have placed viral diagnostic technics within the scope of activities of many public health, hospital and clinical laboratories. Laboratory diagnosis of viral infections is based on three general methods: microscopic study of infected tissues, isolation of the etiologic agent from clinical or autopsy materials, and serologic testing. In general the latter is the most practical and economical; it is based on demonstration of a significant increase in the patient's serum of antibody to the viral agent. Well-established technics are described as well as others which were introduced only recently and have not been fully evaluated.