Cytokines, chemokines and growth factors profile in human aqueous humor in idiopathic uveitis.

To investigate which cytokines, chemokines and growth factors are involved in the immunopathogenesis of idiopathic uveitis, and whether cytokine profiles are associated with. Serum and aqueous humor (AH) samples of 75 patients with idiopathic uveitis were analyzed by multiplex immunoassay. Infectious controls consisted of 16 patients with ocular toxoplasmosis all confirmed by intraocular fluid analyses.

Increase in Ocular Syphilis Cases at Ophthalmologic Reference Center, France, 2012-2015.

We describe the frequency, demographic and clinical features, and visual outcomes of ocular syphilis infections observed during 2012-2015 at a tertiary reference center in Paris, France. Twenty-one cases (29 eyes) were identified. The occurrence of ocular syphilis increased from 1 case in 2012 to 5 cases in 2013, 6 cases in 2014, and 9 cases in 2015 (2.

Imported pythium insidiosum keratitis after a swim in Thailand by a contact lens-wearing traveler.

A 30-year-old woman with a history of contact lens wear and exposure to swimming pool water in Thailand presented with a non-responsive, progressive corneal ulcer of the right eye. Confocal microscopy evidenced septate linear branching structures, raising suspicion of fungal keratitis. She was promptly treated with topical antibiotics and both topical and intravenous caspofungin plus voriconazole.

Enzymatic treatment of specimens before DNA extraction directly influences molecular detection of infectious agents.

Introduction: Biological samples, pharmaceuticals or food contain proteins, lipids, polymers, ammoniums and macromolecules that alter the detection of infectious agents by DNA amplification techniques (PCR). Moreover the targeted DNA has to be released from the complex cell walls and the compact nucleoprotein matrixes and cleared from potential inhibitors. The goal of the present work was to assess the efficiency of enzymatic pretreatments on infectious agents to make DNA available for further extraction and amplification.

Findings in detection of Herpesviridae by polymerase chain reaction and intraocular antibody production in a case series of anterior uveitis.

Purpose: To target the use of two biologic tests in the diagnostic of viral Herpesviridae anterior uveitis (AC) by the consideration of clinical behavior and delay of intraocular sampling.

Methods: Aqueous humor samples were collected from 42 patients suspected of having AU of infectious origin at presentation. The diagnosis of infectious uveitis was confirmed by quantification of antibodies with the Goldmann-Witmer coefficient (GWC) and/or detection of Herpesviridae genomes with PCR.

Clinical and microbiological assessment of trachoma in the kolofata health district, far north region, cameroon.

Background And Aims: Trachoma is a sight-threatening process triggered by the infection of the conjunctiva with Chlamydiae. Blindness associated with trachoma was reported in Sahelian areas of Cameroon. However, data on the prevalence of this neglected infection in the Far North Region are not available.

Contributions to the Improvement of Living Conditions among Neglected Populations with Trachoma.

Objective: Trachoma (Chlamydia-triggered blinding infection) provoked irreversible visual impairment in about 8 million people in 2011, and the prevalence among children with dirty faces is more than three fold that among children with clean faces. In 250 villages with a high prevalence of trachoma (Kolofata district, Far North Region, Cameroon), the lack of water for facial cleanliness was reported during trachoma awareness campaigns. The objective of this study was to determine if the lack of water was linked with the absence of means to dig wells.

Rapid detection and simultaneous molecular profile characterization of Acanthamoeba infections.

Diagnosis of Acanthamoeba by microscopic examination, culture, and polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) has several limitations (sensitivity, specificity, lack of detection of several strains, cost of testing for discrimination among strains). We developed a new high-resolution melting real-time PCR (HRM) to detect and characterize Acanthamoeba infections. HRM performances were evaluated with strains from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) and with 20 corneal scrapings.

New strategy for rapid diagnosis and characterization of fungal infections: the example of corneal scrapings.

Purpose: The prognosis of people infected with Fungi especially immunocompromised depends on rapid and accurate diagnosis to capitalize on time administration of specific treatments. However, cultures produce false negative results and nucleic-acid amplification techniques require complex post-amplification procedures to differentiate relevant fungal types. The objective of this work was to develop a new diagnostic strategy based on real-time polymerase-chain reaction high-resolution melting analysis (PCR-HRM) that a) detects yeasts and filamentous Fungi, b) differentiates yeasts from filamentous Fungi, and c) discriminates among relevant species of yeasts.

Effects of isoproterenol and cholera toxin on human limbal epithelial cell cultures.

Purpose: Cholera toxin and isoproterenol (β-adrenergic receptor agonist) are largely used to enhance cell proliferation. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of cholera toxin and isoproterenol on growth and differentiation of cells cultured from human superficial limbal explants.

Methods: Limbal epithelial cells were cultured from superficial limbal explantsin basal medium either supplemented with cholera toxin or isoproterenol for 3 weeks.

New strategy for rapid diagnosis and characterization of keratomycosis.

Purpose: The first-line therapy for patients with keratitis is different for bacteria, filamentous fungi, and yeasts. The timely onset of treatments depends on rapid and accurate diagnosis. However, fungal cultures produce high rates of false-negative results.

Association of anti-herpes simplex virus IgG in tears and serum with clinical presentation in patients with presumed herpetic simplex keratitis.

Purpose: To assess the clinical relevance of tear anti-herpes simplex virus (HSV) antibody measurement for the diagnosis of herpes simplex keratitis.

Methods: Records of 364 patients clinically suspect of HSV-related keratitis who had tear anti-HSV IgG assessment (tear-quantified anti-HSV IgG/filtrated IgG ratio) in our institution between January 2000 and August 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were classified into 4 groups as follows: group 1, anti-HSV IgG negative in serum and tears; group 2, anti-HSV IgG negative in tears and positive in serum; group 3, anti-HSV IgG nonsignificantly positive in tears and positive in serum; and group 4, anti-HSV IgG significantly positive in serum and tears.

Real-time polymerase chain reaction and intraocular antibody production for the diagnosis of viral versus toxoplasmic infectious posterior uveitis.

Purpose: The aim of this work was to determine the diagnostic performance of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and to assess intraocular specific antibody secretion (Goldmann-Witmer coefficient) on samples from patients with signs of posterior uveitis presumably of infectious origin and to target the use of these two biologic tests in the diagnostic of Toxoplasma/viral Herpesviridae posterior uveitis by the consideration of clinical behavior and delay of intraocular sampling.

Methods: Aqueous humour and/or vitreous fluid were collected from patients suspected of having posterior uveitis of infectious origin at presentation (140 samples). The diagnosis was confirmed by quantification of antibodies with the Goldmann-Witmer coefficient (GWC) and for detection of Herpesviridae and Toxoplasma gondii genomes with RT-PCR.

Outbreak of contact lens-related Fusarium keratitis in France.

Background/aims: In the context of a recent series of Fusarium keratitis cases in Singapore and the United States, we describe an outbreak of fungal keratitis attributable to Fusarium species among contact lens wearers in France.

Methods: Hospital-based case series. All cases of Fusarium keratitis diagnosed in Department of Ophthalmology of the Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts in Paris were reviewed from January 2004 through November 2006.

Clinical and microbiological diagnosis of trachoma in children living in rural areas in the district of Attock, Punjab, Pakistan.

Background: Trachoma is a sight-threatening process triggered by infection of the conjunctiva with Chlamydiae. When this infection becomes chronic and is associated with poverty it triggers trachoma, the prime cause of infectious blindness in the world. Since the 1958 report indicating that the highest incidence of trachoma in Pakistan was found in the province of Punjab, no new trials have been published.

Heidelberg retina tomograph II findings of Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Purpose: Heidelberg retina tomograph II (HRTII) examination was performed with cornea module in one patient with Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) to provide images detailing characteristic findings of the disease.

Methods: A 34-year-old woman presented with clinical signs and symptoms of AK. HRTII with cornea module was performed and the patient underwent laboratory investigations.

Early bacterial keratitis after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy.

We report a case of bacterial keratitis that occurred after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy. The patient presented with a decrease in visual acuity and pain 2 days after the procedure. Culture was positive for Staphylococcus haemolyticus.

[Amniotic membrane transplantation for the treatment severe acanthamoeba keratitis].

Background: It is now possible to treat ocular surface disorders by means of amniotic membrane transplantation. We performed a study to determine the efficacy of this technique in the treatment of severe Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Methods: We studied six patients with severe, painful, nonhealing Acanthamoeba keratitis who underwent one or two amniotic membrane transplantation procedures between February 2001 and January 2003.

Culture-proven herpetic keratitis after penetrating keratoplasty in patients with no previous history of herpes disease.

Objective: To report three cases of herpetic infection in recipients of organ-cultured donor corneas among 586 consecutive corneal transplantation procedures.

Methods: Three patients with no history of symptomatic herpes infection underwent corneal transplantation for keratoconus (2 patients) and Fuchs dystrophy (1 patient). Two patients developed keratouveitis and primary graft failure.

Candida parapsilosis keratitis.

Purpose: To present clinical, microbiologic, and histopathologic features of keratitis due to Candida parapsilosis.

Methods: Clinicomicrobiologic evaluation of four patients (four eyes) with culture-proven C. parapsilosis keratitis.