Indian Journal of Ophthalmology (Jan 2018)

Real-time polymerase chain reaction in acute retinal necrosis following encephalitis

  • Vinita Rao,
  • Jyotirmay Biswas,
  • Gopal Lingam

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/ijo.IJO_748_17
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 66, no. 2
pp. 322 – 324

Abstract

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Acute retinal necrosis (ARN) following herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) in an immunocompetent patient is a rare condition. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) has made it possible to identify and quantify viral genome. We report a case of ARN following HSE managed with the help of qPCR. A 45-year-old man developed ARN following HSE and was treated with intravenous acyclovir and intravitreal foscarnet. The retinitis did not respond initially and the qPCR demonstrated a rise in the number of copies of the HSV-1 viral genome. With continued treatment with intravenous acyclovir and intravitreal ganciclovir, the retinitis healed and the qPCR confirmed a reduction in the viral load. qPCR has a high sensitivity and specificity for HSV and is a useful tool for diagnosis and treatment of viral retinitis.

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