Abstract
Purpose
To study the presence of the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein D gene in tear films of Iranian patients with herpetic keratitis.
Methods
Twenty-five tear film and eye swab specimens from 25 herpetic keratitis patients and 10 specimens from 10 healthy volunteers were collected in the Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran. HSV-1 DNA was detected by using the nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) method. Viral isolation was done using conventional viral techniques. A monoclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for confirmation of positive cytopathic effect cell culture. The results of a diagnosis by an ophthalmologist team were compared with those of nPCR.
Results
HSV-1 DNA was identified in tear films of 88% (23/25) of suspected herpetic keratitis patients. All healthy controls (100%) had negative PCR results. HSV-1 was isolated in cell culture and confirmed by ELISA in 12% (3/25) of herpetic keratitis patients who had epithelial keratitis. The kappa value showed a high level of agreement between ophthalmologist team diagnosis and the PCR results (kappa = 0.86, P < 0.0001).
Conclusions
nPCR is a sensitive, rapid, and powerful tool for detection of HSV-1 DNA in tear films of ocular herpetic keratitis patients and can serve as a supplemental method for diagnosis of herpetic keratitis infection.
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Khodadoost, M., Sabahi, F., Behroz, M. et al. Study of a Polymerase Chain Reaction-based Method for Detection of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 DNA among Iranian Patients with Ocular Herpetic Keratitis Infection. Jpn J Ophthalmol 48, 328–332 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10384-004-0081-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10384-004-0081-z