Diagnosis of persistent viral infections

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Members of various viral families cause persistent infections of the human host. Elucidating the viral strategies that lead to the establishment and maintenance of the persistent state is crucial in order to understand the pathogenesis of these clinically important infections and to develop effective diagnostic measures. The laboratory diagnosis of persistent infections has to meet special requirements: A reliable discrimination between anamnestic and persistent or reactivated latent infections must be achieved. Furthermore, the extent of virus replication should be quantitated and the effect of antiviral therapies should be monitored. Written by internationally acknowledged investigators, this compilation of reviews presents recent findings regarding the pathogenesis of a number of persistent infections and provides an overview of the latest advances in their diagnosis. Viruses under consideration include herpes simplex virus, hepatitis C virus, cytomegalovirus, human papilloma virus, human polyoma virus and HTLV-1. Clearly written and well-organized, this publication is indispensable for doctors involved in the diagnosis and treatment of viral infections, as well as for investigators interested in their pathogenesis.