Herpes simplex virus-1 and cytomegalovirus DNAs detection in the inner ear of implanted patients with non-congenital infection

Abstract

Conclusions: The detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) genome in perilymph of patients with negative serology or clinical history for congenital infections supports the hypothesis that Herpesviridae, even after acquired postnatal infections, could remain in latent phase in the spiral ganglion and damage the cochlea by a possible subsequent reactivation. Further studies are needed to identify the markers of such reactivation.

Objective: To identify the presence of certain viral species in the endolabyrinthic fluid of deaf patients with non-congenital infection. The research of viral DNA within the inner ear is the only direct way to increase our knowledge about the viral role in postnatal damage to the cochlea.

Methods: Thirty-six patients (1–69 years) suffering from bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) were subjected, during cochlear implant (CI) surgery, to a sample taking of inner ear fluid. Several types of viral genome (HSV, VZV, CMV, EBV and Enterovirus) were investigated in each sample through multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Radiological exams, serology (specific IgG and IgM) and PCR of peripheral blood were also performed.

Results: While the research of the viral genome in peripheral blood was negative in all patients, multiplex PCR on endolabyrinthic fluid samples was positive in three patients (two cases of CMV-DNA and one case of HSV-1 DNA).

Chinese abstract

结论: 在阴性血清或先天性感染的临床病史的患者的外淋巴中检测到巨细胞病毒 (CMV) 和单纯疱疹病毒-1 (HSV-1) 基因组, 支持这样的假说: 疱疹病毒甚至在获得性产后感染后, 可以在螺旋神经节中保持潜伏状态, 并通过可能的随后再激活而损害耳蜗。需要进一步的研究来鉴定这种再活化的标志。

目的: 确定在非先天性感染的聋人患者的内流性流体中某些病毒种类的存在。对内耳中的病毒DNA的研究是唯一的直接方式来增加我们关于病毒在产后耳蜗损伤中的作用的知识。

方法: 在耳蜗植入 (CI) 手术期间, 对患有双侧感觉神经性听力损失 (SNHL) 的36名患者 (1-69岁) 进行内耳液体采样。通过多重聚合酶链反应 (PCR) 和逆转录酶 - 聚合酶链反应 (RT-PCR) , 对每个样品进行了几种类型的病毒基因组 (HSV, VZV, CMV, EBV和肠病毒) 的研究。还进行了放射性检查、血清学研究 (特异性IgG和IgM) 和外周血的多重聚合酶链反应。

结果: 虽然所有患者的外周血中病毒基因组的研究均为阴性, 但对3例患者 (2例CMV-DNA和1例HSV-1 DNA) 的内膜迷走液样品进行的多重PCR检测呈阳性。

Keywords:

• Cochlear implant
• PCR
• RT-PCR
• herpesvirus
• hearing loss
• viral genome

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest and/or source of funding.