Detection Of Herpes Simplex Infection In Viral Conjunctivitis Using Polymerase Chain Reaction - A Pilot Study.

Untuk mengesan kes-kes konjunktivitis virus yang disebabkan oleh virus herpes simplex di Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, dengan menggunakan teknik 'polymerase chain reaction'. To detect the viral conjunctivitis in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia caused by herpes simplex virus using a polymerase chain reaction method

Detection of herpes simplex infection in viral conjunctivitis using polymerase chain reaction- a pilot study

A study was performed to detect the viral conjunctivitis in HUSM caused by HSV using a PCR method. Seventy patients with viral conjunctivitis were examined; with clinical features identified and conjunctival scrapping taken from superior and inferior fornices of affected eye for PCR analysis. PCR was performed with primers obtained from a commercially available primer kit for HSV. The prevalence of viral conjunctivitis in HUSM caused by HSV infection, using PCR method, was 17.I % (95 % CI = 8.1, 26.0) which was higher than other reported studies. This is mainly due to the method used which is a highly sensitive and specific diagnostic test. Majority of HSV conjunctivitis patients presented with moderate follicular conjunctivitis with frequent corneal involvement which was similar to features of adenoviral conjunctivitis caused by Group D subgenera. The possible differentiating feature of adenoviral conjunctivitis was the unilaterality

Intraocular nematode with diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis: case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Live intraocular nematode is a rare occurrence. Nematode can migrate actively within the eye, creating visual symptoms and damaging ocular tissue.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 26-year old man presented with painless reduced vision of the left eye for one week duration. It was associated with floaters. Visual acuity on the left eye was hand movement. Anterior segment examination was normal with normal intra-ocular pressure. Fundus examination showed a live nematode lying subretinally at the macular area with macular oedema and multifocal chorioretinal lesions at peripheral retina. There was no vitritis, vasculitis or any retinal hemorrhage. Systemic examination revealed normal findings and laboratory studies only showed leucocytosis with normal eosinophil count and negative serum toxocara antibody. The diagnosis of introcular nematode with diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis was made. He was treated with oral anti-helminths and a course of oral steroid at a reducing dose. The nematode had died evidenced by its immobility during the treatment and finally disintegrated, leaving macular oedema with mottling appearance and mild hyperpigmentation. Multifocal chorioretinal lesions had also resolved. However despite treatment his visual acuity during follow-up had remained poor.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Cases of intraocular nematode, though not commonly encountered, continue to present the ophthalmologist with the problem of diagnosis and management and hence poorer prognosis to the patient.</p