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Rubella virus as a possible etiological agent of Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis

  • Inflammatory Disorders
  • Published:
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Abstract

Background

To determine whether rubella virus is involved in the pathogenesis of Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis (FHI).

Methods

Fourteen patients (14 eyes) diagnosed with FHI based on characteristic ocular manifestations and eight control subjects were studied. Aqueous humor (AH) samples from 14 FHI patients and one vitreous sample from a FHI patient were analyzed for intraocular antibody production against rubella virus by calculation of the Goldmann–Witmer coefficient (GWC). Viral detection by nested polymerase chain reaction and isolation by culture in RK-13 cells were conducted in nine FHI patients. In addition to laboratory examinations, medical history of rubella virus vaccination was also obtained.

Results

Ten patients with FHI examined showed intraocular synthesis of rubella virus antibodies (GWC > 3). A high index of rubella virus antibody production was also found in the vitreous sample (GWC = 30.6). GWC in all control subjects were below detectable level. The rubella genome was detected in two of nine patients, and rubella virus was isolated from one of nine patients with FHI. None of the patients with FHI had been vaccinated against rubella.

Conclusions

Our laboratory data strongly suggest a relationship between FHI and rubella virus.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0023, Japan

    Jun Suzuki & Hiroshi Goto

  2. Department of Virology III, National Institute of Infectious Disease, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashi Murayama-shi, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan

    Katsuhiro Komase, Hitoshi Abo, Kaoru Fujii, Noriyuki Otsuki & Kiyoko Okamoto

Authors
  1. Jun Suzuki
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  2. Hiroshi Goto
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  3. Katsuhiro Komase
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  4. Hitoshi Abo
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  5. Kaoru Fujii
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  6. Noriyuki Otsuki
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  7. Kiyoko Okamoto
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Correspondence to Jun Suzuki.

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Suzuki, J., Goto, H., Komase, K. et al. Rubella virus as a possible etiological agent of Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 248, 1487–1491 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-010-1434-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-010-1434-6

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