Kinetics of aqueous flare, intraocular pressure and virus-DNA copies in a patient with cytomegalovirus iridocyclitis without retinitis.

Background: A case report of recurrent unilateral granulomatous iridocyclitis with ocular hypertension without retinitis caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV) in an immunocompetent patient.

Methods: Aqueous humor was analysed by multiplex PCR to detect viral DNA, and real-time PCR was used to evaluate virus copies before and after anti-virus treatments. Inflammation of the anterior chamber was evaluated by a laser flare photometry.

Results: Genomic DNA of CMV - but not of other herpes viruses - was detected in the aqueous humor. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed 2.3 x 10(5) copies/ml of CMV DNA from the specimen. Oral valganciclovir was added to the ongoing treatment, which consisted of topical corticosteroid, timolol and latanoprost as well as systemic acetazolamide, resulting in the reduction of aqueous flare correlated with the reduction of virus copies in aqueous humor.

Conclusions: In this case of CMV-related iridocyclitis in an immunocompetent patient, specific additional anti-viral therapy was effective in controlling inflammation of anterior chamber but, as is so often the case, it was unable to control intraocular pressure. We show that inflammatory activity correlated well with the number of virus copies in the aqueous humor.