[The incidence of infection in tumor and eye fluid system, and specific humoral immunity to herpes viruses in patients with uveal melanoma].

INTRODUCTION: Studies aimed at a direct research of human herpes viruses (HHVs) in the tumor material and eye media have not been carried out so far. Research goal to establish the frequency of detection HHVs DNA in the biomaterial of the eye and blood and to assess the specific humoral immunity to the causative agents of herpes virus infections in patients with uveal melanoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 38 patients with the uveal tract tumor were examined for the presence of DNA of HHV types 1 and 2 (HSV-1, 2), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Varicella Zoster virus (VZV), EpsteinBarr virus (EBV) and herpes viruses 6 and 8 types (HHV-6, HHV-8) in tumor tissue, vitreous body, aqueous humour and blood plasma by real-time polymerase chain reaction; blood serum was studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for IgG and IgM antibodies to HHVs. RESULTS: EBV DNA was present in tumor tissue in 20.6% of cases, in vitreous body in 4.2%, in blood plasma in 2.7%, and was not found in aqueous humor. Ig G antibodies to HSV-1, 2 and CMV were detected in 97.3% of cases, VZV 94.6%, HHV-6 32.4%, antibodies to HHV-8 were not detected. 20 patients (55.6%) had reactivation of chronic HSV-1, 2 infection, and 14 (38.9%) patients had reactivation of CMV infection. Markers of chronic EBV infection were found in all patients, its atypical reactivation was observed in 2 cases (5.4%). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest the possible participation of EBV in the oncogenesis of the uveal tract and emphasize the need for further in-depth study of this problem.

[Use of optical coherence tomography angiography in assessment in conjunctival vascular architecture in health and pathology]. / Vozmozhnosti opticheskoi kogerentnoi tomografii v angiorezhime v otsenke angioarkhitektoniki kon"yunktivy v norme i pri patologii.

PURPOSE: Investigation of the capabilities of anterior segment (AS) optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in evaluation of conjunctival vascular architecture in healthy individuals and in various pathological conditions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 17 healthy volunteers (34 eyes; the control group) and 62 patients (68 eyes) with conjunctival lesions of various nature. All participants underwent AS-OCT and AS-OCTA with assessment of qualitative (vessels pattern, lumen, pathologic tortuosity) and quantitative parameters (vessel density (VD, %) in the lesion area). Mean VD (MVD) and local VD (LVD) were determined, as well as VD in perifocal tissues (PVD). RESULTS: OCTA scans in 8 conjunctival sectors showed mostly radial pattern of the vascular architecture, with vessel lumen remaining the same over their entire visible length. Larger-sized vessels in deeper conjunctival layers were discovered in most cases. The lowest VD value (33.3%) was registered in the superotemporal quadrant, and the highest (38.9%) - in the nasal. Tortuosity of the vessels with course disruption, uneven lumen over the length of the vessels and increase in VD were observed in the area of conjunctival lesions in all cases excluding congenital abnormalities, pingueculae and conjunctival melanocytic intraepithelial neoplasia. The malignant nature of the tumors was indicated by dense vessel distribution and difficulties for visualization of intravascular space, and confirmed by pathohistological analysis. An increase in the number of areas with a lace-like pattern was characteristic for melanomas, with mean VD of more than 50% in the most vascularized areas. CONCLUSION: AS-OCTA is an informative method for the visualization of vessels in healthy conjunctiva and in conjunctival pathology. Local VD in the lesion area should be measured when the vessels are unevenly distributed.

[The role of chronic gastric ulcer in carcinogenesis].

Results of prolonged conservative treatment of patients with stomach ulcer are analyzed. Two groups of patients have been studied. Group 1 consisted of patients with long-term disease, incidence of stomach cancer in this group was 6.4%. Group 2 consisted of patients operated for stomach cancer and followed-up in cancer dispensary, 12.9% of them had the history of stomach ulcer. Based on anamnesis and results of morphological studies, cases of malignant transformation of chronic gastric ulcer have been revealed. It is demonstrated that prolonged conservative treatment of stomach ulcer in combination with high-grade dysplasia lead to potential risk of malignant transformation. The role of stomach mucosa contamination with herpes viruses was also studied. It is demonstrated that viral contamination is associated with immunodeficiency, maintains chronic inflammation in ulcer and promotes dysplasia progress.