Lavalle-Graef A, Contreras-Arévalo E, Elorriaga G

Language: Spanish
References: 10
Page: 64-69
PDF size: 475.56 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To search for bacteria in aqueous humor by means of culture and for bacterial fragments with PCR.
Methods: Anterior chamber paracenthesis was performed in eight eyes in order to obtain 100 microliters of acuous humor for culture in agar and PCR. Endothelial specular microscopy was realized in the eight eyes (before the paracenthesis) in patients with at least one episode of uveitis secondary to ankylosing spondylitis (AS).
Results: Eight patients (6 masculine, 2 feminine) with mean age of 41.8 years and with uveitis secondary to AE showed no direct relation between the number of episodes of anterior uveitis and the endothelial damage in the specular microscopy; pleomorphism and polymegatism did have a direct relation with hexagonality. Guttate were found even in the first episode of anterior uveitis. The guttate did not have a direct relation with the number of episodes of anterior uveitis. All bacterial cultures in agar were negative. The PCR determined and amplified bacterial DNA sequences with an universal primer in five of eight samples (62.5%).
Conclusions: The number of episodes of anterior uveitis does not determine the degree of endothelial lesion; this is mainly caused by the intensity of the inflammatory reaction, the prompt initiation of treatment, the toxicity of steroids drops and/or vehicles, and probably idiosyncrasy. The fact that the cultures were negative implies that: 1) the sterile technique for the anterior chamber paracenthesis was adequate; 2) that there are no complete bacteria or functional bacteria in the aqueous humor. The identification of bacterial DNA sequences in aqueous humor of patients with AS and uveitis suggests that the mechanism of immunological damage is molecular mymethism.

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