Comparison of Intraocular Antibody Measurement, Quantitative Pathogen PCR, and Metagenomic Deep Sequencing of Aqueous Humor in Secondary Glaucoma Associated with Anterior Segment Uveitis

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To identify viral pathogens in patients with secondary glaucoma associated with anterior segment uveitis and compare metagenomic deep sequencing (MDS) with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) combined with Witmer-Desmonts coefficient (WDC) evaluation and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) on investigating pathogens in aqueous humor.

Methods

Aqueous humor from 31 patients, including 22 Posner-Schlossman Syndrome and 9 other anterior uveitis, was assessed pathogens by ELISA combined with WDC evaluation, virus deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) detection by real-time qPCR and MDS.

Results

Viral pathogens (HCMV or VZV or RV) were detected in 19 out of 31 eyes (61.3%) by real-time qPCR or WDC evaluation. MDS revealed the presence of HCMV DNA sequences in three PSS patients.

Conclusion

Virus is an important pathogen in secondary glaucoma associated with anterior segment uveitis. MDS is a potential etiologic diagnosis tool to seek intraocular viral pathogens for secondary glaucoma associated anterior segment uveitis.

KEYWORDS:

• Secondary glaucoma
• anterior segment uveitis
• metagenomic deep sequencing (MDS)
• Witmer-Desmonts coefficient (WDC)
• polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
• human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL

Supplemental material for this article can be accessed on the Publisher’s website.

Additional information

Funding

This research project was supported by Shanghai Pujiang Program [18PJD003], National Natural Science Foundation of China [81870692 & 81570887], Shenzhen Municipal Government of China [JCYJ20170817145915789], Shanghai Committee of Science and Technology, China [17410712500], the top priority of clinical medicine center of Shanghai [2017ZZ01020]. The sponsor or funding organization had no role in the design or conduct of this research.