Laboratory techniques for diagnosis of chlamydial infections of the eye.

Giemsa and fluorescence antibody (FA) staining were used to diagnose patients clinically suspected to be suffering from trachoma. A total of 52 controls i.e. individuals with refractive errors and no clinical trachoma and 173 cases suffering from different stages of trachoma were studied. FA was found to be 2.52 times more sensitive in confirming the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis compared to Giemsa staining. 28/52 (53.8%) and 4/52 (7.,69%) controls were also positive by FA and Giemsa staining, respectively, indicating sub-clinical infection without symptoms. Post treatment staining with both methods revealed that clinical cure of trachoma did not necessarily mean the absence of Chlamydia trachomatis in the conjunctival smears. As a corollary it can be deduced that mere presence of Chlamydia trachomatis in conjunctival epithelial cells may not cause clinical trachoma, certain host factors (local immunity etc.) may play an important role in clinical disease.

Congenital cystic eyeball.

A rare case of histopathologically proved case of congenital cystic eye in a one day old girl is described. It was an unusually large cystic mass bulging forwards stretching the upperlid. There was no rudimentary eyeball in the orbit. The cystic eye's predilection for the left eye has been pointed out for the first time in this article.

Unilateral cryptophthalmos.

A rare case of unilateral cryptophthalmos have unique findings is reported. The lateral part of the left eye was replaced by downward extension of the frontal hairline. The left upper eyelid, except in the lateral 4mm fully developed portion, was replaced by a fold adherent to the underlying disorganized globe (6.9 mm). The lower lid, however, was fully developed. Ocular and systemic features of cryptophthalmos have been reviewed. Predilection for the left eye in unilateral cases has been hinted for the first time.

Immunoassay of serum muramidase (lysozyme) in ocular diseases.

Serum levels of muramidase activity were measured in 162 patients with different ocular diseases and 84 healthy subjects by electro-immuno-diffusion technique. We demonstrated for the first time that electro-immuno-diffusion technique could be successfully applied for the estimation of serum muramidase concentrations. Serum muramidase was found to be high in significant number of cases with granulomatous uveitis, tuberculous keratitis, central serous retinopathy and Eales' disease. Tuberculosis was presumed to be the cause in them by the process of exlusion. Patients with high serum muramidase activity were subjected to anti-tubercular treatment with a marked clinical improvement. It is suggested that high serum muramidase could be an useful parameter in deciding the line of treatment in patients with ocular diseases of uncertain etiology. Serum muramidase concentrations showed return to normal levels with the clinical improvement of the diseases with treatment. It increased again with the re-appearance of the activity of the diseases.