Detection of Streptococcus species by polymerase chain reaction in infectious crystalline keratopathy.
OBJECTIVE
Investigation of a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Streptococcus species from an excised cornea of a patient with infectious crystalline keratopathy.


METHODS
Samples microdissected from corneal intrastromal aggregates present in infectious crystalline keratopathy were subjected to PCR for 3 primer pairs respectively specific for Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and several kinds of fungi.


RESULTS
The PCR detected DNA from Streptococcus but not from Staphylococcus or fungi. Direct sequencing of the PCR products showed that the PCR products had the highest identity (99.8%) with Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus gordoni, indicating that these species were the most probable causes of infectious crystalline keratopathy in this patient.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that PCR provides a good adjunct technique in the diagnosis of corneal infection.
Osakabe
Yasuhiro
Y
Meiwakai Medical Foundation, Miyata Eye Hospital, Miyakonojo, Miyazaki, Japan.
Yaguchi
Chiemi
C
Miyai
Takashi
T
Miyata
Kazunori
K
Mineo
Shoichiro
S
Nakamura
Masaki
M
Amano
Shiro
S
D000368:Aged; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D034361:Streptococcus mitis / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics
D004269:DNA, Bacterial