Relative efficiency of polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay in determination of viral etiology in congenital cataract in infants.
BACKGROUND
Perinatal viral infections of fetus are among the leading causes of congenital cataract and identifying the viral etiology is important.


OBJECTIVE
To detect the presence of Rubella virus (RV), herpes simplex virus (HSV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) in lens aspirate specimens obtained from patients with congenital cataract and relate the results with serology.


METHODS
Prospective study carried out in tertiary care hospital.


METHODS
Fifty lens aspirates from 50 infants with congenital cataract were subjected to HSV, RV isolation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of HSV and CMV. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was applied for RV detection. Peripheral blood specimens were screened for anti-HSV, RV and CMV antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
Rubella virus was detected in nine (18%) lens aspirates, by nRT-PCR which includes six positive by culture. HSV-2 DNA was detected in nine other lens aspirates, while CMV was not detected by PCR. Serological results did not correlate with the presence of viruses in the lens aspirates. This is the first report of detection of HSV-2 DNA in cases of congenital cataract.


CONCLUSIONS
Cytomegalovirus may not be playing a significant role in causation of congenital cataract. The role of serology in identifying causative viral infection for congenital cataract needs to be re-evaluated.
Shyamala
G
G
L and T Microbiology Research Centre, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, 18, College Road, Chennai, India.
Sowmya
P
P
Madhavan
H N
HN
Malathi
J
J
D002386:Cataract / Q000151:congenital* / Q000821:virology*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015828:Eye Infections, Viral / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012412:Rubella virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*