Detection of HIV RNA Levels in Intraocular and Cerebrospinal Fluids in Patients with AIDS-Related Cryptococcosis

Vol. 219, No. 2, 2005

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Original Paper

Detection of HIV RNA Levels in Intraocular and Cerebrospinal Fluids in Patients with AIDS-Related Cryptococcosis
Chi-Hsien Peng^{a, c}, Shih-Jen Chen^a, Chi-Kung Ho^b, Hung-Hai Ku^d, Hon-Wun Lin^a, Steve S.-L. Chen^e, Chih-Chiau Wu^a, Chin-Wen Chi^b, Wen-Ming Hsu^a, Shih-Hwa Chiou^a,b,f

Departments of
^aOphthalmology and
^bMedical Research and Education, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University; Institutes of
^cClinical Medicine and
^dAnatomy and Cell Biology, National Yang-Ming University, and
^eInstitute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica,
^fNational Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan

Address of Corresponding Author

Ophthalmologica 2005;219:101-106 (DOI: 10.1159/000083269)

Key Words

Cryptococcosis
Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction
Cerebrospinal fluid

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to evaluate human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) levels in the aqueous humor and vitreous fluid in patients with and those without ocular involvement due to AIDS-related cryptococcosis. We also assessed whether cryptococcosis infection in the central nervous system (CNS) was associated with elevated HIV levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). From 1993 to 2003, we obtained 16 CSF samples from 9 AIDS patients with cryptococcal meningitis and 7 AIDS patients without CNS opportunistic infection. Samples of intraocular fluids were obtained from all 9 patients with cryptococcal meningitis. Five cases presented with ocular involvement in patients with meningitis. By using the method of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, we detected higher HIV loads in aqueous humor (27,244 ± 4,123 copies/ml) and vitreous fluid (84,930 ± 5,071 copies/ml) in patients with concomitant CNS and ocular involvement due to AIDS-related cryptococcosis (p<0.05). HIV levels in the vitreous fluid were correlated with levels in CSF (r = 0.77). Mean HIV level in the CSF (209,761 ± 18,787 copies/ml) was significantly elevated in AIDS patients with cryptococcoal meningitis (p<0.05). To our knowledge, this is the first report to study the level of HIV loads in the CSF and intraocular fluid simultaneously in AIDS patients with cryptococcosis. Our results revealed the intrathecal and intraocular HIV replication in patients with cryptococcosis.

Author Contacts

Shih-Hwa Chiou, MD, PhD
Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital
# 201 Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 11217 (Taiwan)
Tel. +886 2 2875 7325, Fax +886 2 2876 1351
E-Mail shchiou@vghtpe.gov.tw or chpeng@vghtpe.gov.tw

Article Information

Received: March 26, 2004
Accepted: May 13, 2004
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 2, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 22

Medline Abstract (ID 15802935)

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