Could polymerase chain reaction tests on conjunctival swabs be useful to diagnose herpetic keratitis?
BACKGROUND
Diagnosis of HSV-1 keratitis (HK) is frequently based on clinical findings. Invasive specimens (corneal scrapings, biopsies) are required for microbiological diagnosis.


METHODS
Corneal scrapings and conjunctival swabs were collected on patients with/without clinical suspicion of HK from 2007 to 2012.


RESULTS
The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for conjunctival swabs by PCR was 77.8, 92.1, 84.4 and 88.3, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Conjunctival swabs by PCR may help in the diagnosis of HK, despite the limited sensitivity.
Servicio de Microbiología Clínica, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Avenida de Córdoba s/n, 28041 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: ljbb550@msn.com.
Laura
L
Barrado
Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Avenida de Córdoba s/n, 28041 Madrid, Spain.
M Jesús
MJ
Suarez
Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Avenida de Córdoba s/n, 28041 Madrid, Spain.
Eugenio
E
Pérez-Blázquez
Servicio de Microbiología Clínica, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Avenida de Córdoba s/n, 28041 Madrid, Spain.
Joaquín R
JR
Otero
Servicio de Microbiología Clínica, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Avenida de Córdoba s/n, 28041 Madrid, Spain.
M Dolores
MD
Folgueira
D005260:Female; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human; D006801:Humans; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods
Conjunctival swabs; Corneal scrapings; Cultivo viral; Exudados conjuntivales; Herpetic keratitis; PCR; Queratitis herpética; Raspados corneales; Viral culture