The TORCH test, which is sometimes called the TORCH panel, belongs to a category of blood tests called infectious-disease antibody titer tests. This type of blood test measures the presence of antibodies (protein molecules produced by the human immune system in response to a specific disease agent) and their level of concentration in the blood. The name of the test comes from the initial letters of the five disease categories.

The TORCH test measures the levels of an infant's antibodies against five groups of chronic infections:

• toxoplasmosis,
• other infections, The "other infections" usually include syphilis, hepatitis B, coxsackie virus, Epstein-Barr virus, varicella-zoster virus, measles, mumps and human parvovirus.
• rubella,
• cytomegalovirus (CMV), and
• herpes simplex virus (HSV).

Antibody

Antigen

Kits

Fluorescent Test Kits

Genotyping

Reference Materials

Herpes Simples Virus

There are two closely related viruses termed :

• herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), and
• herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2).

Both viruses cause painful vesicles on the skin at the site of inoculation.

• HSV1 is usually associated with oro-facial lesions.
• HSV2 is usually associated with genital lesions.

Infection with HSV1 is almost universal. This is known because, although many infections are sub-clinical, virtually 100% of adults have antibodies in their serum. Most individuals become infected in the first few years of life.

Virus is shed from the infected area and spread occurs as a result of direct contact with lesions. For example, through kissing (HSV1) or sexual intercourse (HSV2).
Virus may also, however, be shed in saliva and genital secretions and can thus be transmitted in the absence of clinical lesions.

Animations of steps of HSV infection and replication