“…This is particularly pertinent now that anti-viral chemotherapy is becoming a clinical reality. The diagnosis of herpes simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis using cells obtained from the cerebrospinal fluid (Bamborschke et al, 1990) is an example of such an application. Viral DNA was detectable in cytospun preparations of these cells at the time of onset of symptoms and before the beginning of intrathecal IgG synthesis.…”