Evolution of diagnostics of herpes virus infections: comparative analysis of traditional and innovative approaches

Current challenges in the diagnosis of herpesvirus infections require a rethinking of existing approaches and the implementation of innovative solutions. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of diagnostic methods, from traditional serological tests to advanced molecular technologies. The main focus is on a critical assessment of the effectiveness of various diagnostic methods based on a systematic review of scientific publications from 2013‒2023 from the PubMed, Scopus, and eLibrary databases. The results of the study indicate significant progress in the field of laboratory diagnostics of herpesviruses. Next-generation multiplex polymerase chain reaction systems demonstrate an optimal combination of high sensitivity (95‒98 %) and analysis speed (up to 2 hours), making them the preferred choice for routine practice. Of particular interest are promising isothermal amplification methods (loop-mediated isothermal amplification and recombinase polymerase amplification), which, despite the need for additional validation, open up new possibilities for rapid diagnostics in resource-limited settings. The revolutionary potential of next-generation sequencing technologies and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat-based systems, which provide unprecedented accuracy in identifying resistant strains and rare genetic variants, is particularly noteworthy. However, their widespread adoption is currently constrained by economic factors. This paper substantiates the need to develop differentiated diagnostic algorithms that combine accessible screening methods with high-precision technologies for complex cases, as well as to achieve international consensus on standardizing diagnostic protocols. 

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