Rapid detection of varicella‐zoster virus in clinical specimens using monoclonal antibodies on shell vials and smears

Monoclonal antibodies were used for detecting varicella‐zoster virus (VZV) by immunofluorescence (IF) in clinical specimens inoculated on shell vial cultures. Vesicles of 74 patients with varicella or herpes zoster‐like eruptions were tested by this method and by conventional cell culture. Further diagnostic tests were direct IF on smears (42 patients), the cytological Tzanck test (28 patients), and serology (30 patients). Both IF assays were performed with the commercial VZV‐specific monoclonal antibody 3B3 (Ortho). Using the shell vial technique, we found VZV in 37 (50%) of the patients, on average after 3 days. The conventional culture method yielded 26 positives (35%), on average after 7.5 days.