Comparison of intraocular to plasma HIV-1 viral burden in patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis.

PubMed ID: 10030574

Author(s): Ciulla TA, Schnizlein-Bick CT, Danis RP, Frank MO, Wheat LJ. Comparison of intraocular to plasma HIV-1 viral burden in patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis. Am J Ophthalmol. 1999 Feb;127(2):221-3. PMID 10030574

Journal: American Journal Of Ophthalmology, Volume 127, Issue 2, Feb 1999

PURPOSE To determine the relationship between plasma and intraocular human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) viral loads in 12 consecutive patients undergoing ganciclovir implant surgery for cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis.

METHODS Aqueous and vitreous specimens were assayed for HIV-1 viral load by polymerase chain reaction analysis (Roche Amplicor HIV Monitor; Roche Diagnostics Systems, Inc, Branchburg, New Jersey).

RESULTS It was possible to quantitatively assay HIV-1 burden in intraocular fluids using polymerase chain reaction analysis. In general, patients with plasma viral loads less than 250,000 copies/ml had undetectable (<200 copies/ml) HIV-1 in their aqueous and vitreous.

CONCLUSIONS It is likely that intraocular viral levels have several determinants in addition to plasma viral loads, with which they only partially correlate.