Contribution of the rapid viral diagnosis by immunofluorescence to the choice of therapy in uveitis cases.

ABSTRACT

Viral and inframicrobial antigens were detected by immunofluorescence (IF) in exfoliated conjunctival and corneal cells from 22 patients with uveitis, 2-9 different antigens being simultaneously visualized in 17 of the cases. The treatment applied on the ground of the etiological diagnosis specified by IF reactions consisted in the administration of tetracycline, Flumidin (Virustat), standard gamma-globulin or specific antiherpes immunoglobulin, the NIVGRIP inactivated influenza vaccine. This therapy led to persistent recovery (coincident with the disappearance of the antigens from conjunctival cells) in 15 cases and to clinical improvement in 7 cases. The importance of the rapid viral diagnosis by IF for the choice of an adequate therapy of uveitis is discussed.