title: Association of herpesviruses in the aqueous humor of patients with serpiginous choroiditis: a polymerase chain reaction-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the presence of herpesvirus DNA in the aqueous humor (AH) of patients with serpiginous choroiditis using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  
  
  METHODS
  AH from nine patients previously diagnosed with serpiginous choroiditis were investigated for herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella zoster virus (VZV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV) by conventional virological methods and PCR. The PCR-positive DNA was gel-purified, extracted, and sequenced using a dye-based Applied Biosystems procedure. The sequences were processed through the National Cancer Institute's BLAST inquiry for species identification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Culture and cytological examination of AH from all nine patients were negative for HSV, VZV, and CMV. Five were positive for VZV, one was positive for HSV, and three were wholly negative using PCR. Subsequent DNA sequencing of the positive samples authenticated the presence of VZV and HSV DNA in the respective patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VZV and HSV DNA were detected in a subset of patients with serpiginous choroiditis, suggesting that these viruses may function in the pathogenesis of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Kannian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Priya
authors.forename: Hajib N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Madhavan
authors.forename: Bibiana J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Reiser
authors.forename: Jyotrimay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.forename: Rambhatla
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saptagirish
authors.forename: Kannan M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Narayana
authors.forename: Narsing A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000821:virology*; D002833:Choroiditis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral