No abstract

No abstract

AimTo measure the bacterial genome in ocular fluids and to analyse the clinical relevance of infectious endophthalmitis.MethodsNineteen ocular fluid samples (eight aqueous humour and 11 vitreous fluid samples) were collected from 19 patients with suspected bacterial endophthalmitis. Fifty ocular samples from uveitis patients were also collected along with 40 samples from patients without ocular inflammation and used as controls. Bacterial ribosomal DNA (16S rDNA) was measured by a quantitative PCR assay.ResultsBacterial 16S rDNA was detected in patients with clinically suspected bacterial endophthalmitis (18/19, 95%). With the exception of one case, high copy numbers of bacterial DNA were detected (1.7×103–1.7×109 copies/ml) in these patients. There were 10 samples (53%) with positive bacterial cultures while there were nine samples (47%) with positive Gram-staining. Real-time PCR detected bacterial 16S rDNA in three (6%) of the 50 samples from the control uveitis patients. In addition, none of the samples from the control patients without intraocular inflammation were positive.ConclusionsQuantitative broad-range PCR of bacterial 16S rDNA is a useful tool for diagnosing bacterial endophthalmitis.

Our results indicate that HHV-6 infection/reactivation is implicated in ocular inflammatory diseases.

No abstract

Analysis of ocular samples by this broad-range real-time PCR method can be utilized for rapid diagnosis of patients suffering from unknown intraocular disorders such as idiopathic uveitis/endophthalmitis.

The two-step PCR examination to detect toxoplasma DNA is a useful tool for diagnosing ocular toxoplasmosis.

Bacterial 16S-specific PCR can comprehensively detect the main causative bacteria of clinically suspected endophthalmitis.