Posters

Importance of polymerase chain reaction system for diagnosis of eye infections

Poster Details

First Author: S.Saha INDIA

Co Author(s):    J. Sengupta   A. Khetan                 

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To measure the genomic DNA of eye infectious pathogens in ocular fluids and to analyze the clinical relevance of these pathogens in keratitis, uveitis and endophthalmitis.

Setting:

Tertiary care eye hospital of eastern India

Methods:

A total of 985 patients with infectious keratitis, uveitis and endophthalmitis were examined at Priyamvada Birla Aravind Eye Hospital, Kolkata, between 2014-2018. Genomic DNA of bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses in collected ocular samples were examined by comprehensive polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Samples were analyzed by nested PCR method.

Results:

Total number of 985 ocular sample were tested. Positive PCR found in 807 cases (81.9%). In all tested infectious keratitis, uveitis and endophthalmitis patients, herpes simplex virus type 1 (n = 228), varicella-zoster virus (n = 39), cytomegalovirus (n = 18), Microsporidia (n = 8), Acanthameoba (n= 6) bacterial (n = 190), fungal (n = 280), P acne (n=29), M tuberculosis (n= 09) genome was detected. Toxoplasma DNA was not detected in any of the samples. 32 cases were found negative for patients clinically suspected of having bacterial endophthalmitis and 20 cases for Fungal.

Conclusions:

Use of PCR assay to examine ocular samples in patients with keratitis, endophthalmitis and uveitis seems to be clinically useful for detecting infectious antigen DNA. Thus, this PCR method is a reliable tool for both diagnosing ocular disorders and further screening of patients for ocular infections.

Financial Disclosure:

None