Rubella virus as a possible etiological agent of Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis.
BACKGROUND
To determine whether rubella virus is involved in the pathogenesis of Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis (FHI).


METHODS
Fourteen patients (14 eyes) diagnosed with FHI based on characteristic ocular manifestations and eight control subjects were studied. Aqueous humor (AH) samples from 14 FHI patients and one vitreous sample from a FHI patient were analyzed for intraocular antibody production against rubella virus by calculation of the Goldmann-Witmer coefficient (GWC). Viral detection by nested polymerase chain reaction and isolation by culture in RK-13 cells were conducted in nine FHI patients. In addition to laboratory examinations, medical history of rubella virus vaccination was also obtained.


RESULTS
Ten patients with FHI examined showed intraocular synthesis of rubella virus antibodies (GWC > 3). A high index of rubella virus antibody production was also found in the vitreous sample (GWC = 30.6). GWC in all control subjects were below detectable level. The rubella genome was detected in two of nine patients, and rubella virus was isolated from one of nine patients with FHI. None of the patients with FHI had been vaccinated against rubella.


CONCLUSIONS
Our laboratory data strongly suggest a relationship between FHI and rubella virus.
Suzuki
Jun
J
Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0023, Japan. jun-s@qc4.so-net.ne.jp
Goto
Hiroshi
H
Komase
Katsuhiro
K
Abo
Hitoshi
H
Fujii
Kaoru
K
Otsuki
Noriyuki
N
Okamoto
Kiyoko
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D015828:Eye Infections, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015863:Iridocyclitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012409:Rubella / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D012412:Rubella virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000821:virology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; C040901:rubella antibodies