Using conjunctival swab with polymerase chain reaction to aid diagnosis ofcytomegalovirus retinitis in AIDS patients

Conjunctival swabs were used in combination with polymerase chain reactions (PCR) or virus culture to aid to confirm the diagnosis of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in AIDS patients. Based on ophthalmoscopic findings, 13 AID S patients were diagnosed as having CMV retinitis and treated with systemic ganciclovir from January 1997 to December 1998. Nine of 13 AIDS patients w ith CMV retinitis were found to be positive for CMV DNA by using a conjunct ival swab with PCR (CS-PCR). CMV was also isolated from the conjunctival sw ab culture in 2 AIDS patients with CMV retinitis. Following 1 month of syst emic ganciclovir treatment, except for 7 patient who had disease progressio n and remained positive for CMV DNA by using CS-PCR, 12 patients were negat ive for CMV with a concordant lesion regression. Results of this study also indicate that this CS-PCR method is valuable for confirming the diagnosis of CMV retinitis and monitoring the ganciclovir effect on the treatment of CMV retinitis in AIDS patients. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.