title: Real-time PCR in infectious uveitis as an alternative diagnosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Uveitis is a major visual impairment disease affecting parts or the entire uveal tract and occasionally the sclera, the cornea or the optic nerve. The disease is a major cause of ocular morbidity and blindness in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. In this work we analyzed the sensitivity and specificity of real-time PCR to detect the etiological agent from blood, plasma, vitreous and aqueous humor and compared with the diagnostic hypothesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven patients (13 male) were studied and Real-time PCR method was used for the detection of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2), varicella zoster virus (VZV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) and Toxoplasma gondii (Toxo) in the aqueous humor as well as in the vitreous, blood and plasma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed the presence of Toxo, CMV, VZV or HSV-2 in 19.2% of aqueous humor samples, and in 30% of vitreous humor samples. In plasma and blood samples, only CMV was detected (11.1% and 3.7%, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Real-time PCR was able to detect and to confirm diagnostic hypothesis in uveitis. Our data also confirms that vitreous humor is the best source for molecular diagnosis of infectious uveitis but indicates aqueous humor samples that are easier to obtain may also be appropriate to be tested by Real-time PCR.
authors: Instituto da Visão, Hospital São Paulo, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Fabio Felipe dos
authors: FF
authors: Santos
authors: Alessandra Gonçalves
authors: AG
authors: Commodaro
authors: Andrea Vieira de
authors: AV
authors: Souza
authors: João Renato Rebello
authors: JR
authors: Pinho
authors: Roberta
authors: R
authors: Sitnik
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Garcia
authors: Ana Lúcia Pereira
authors: AL
authors: Ribeiro
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Muccioli
authors: Cláudio Luiz
authors: CL
authors: Lottenberg
authors: Luiz Vicente
authors: LV
authors: Rizzo
authors: Rubens
authors: R
authors: Belfort Junior
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014605:Uveitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult