Demonstration of Virus in Retinal Necrosis following Intravitreal Inoculation of Herpes Simplex Virus-1

ABSTRACT

This study was performed to observe the retinal changes in rabbits by intravitreal inoculation of HSV-1. The solution of HSV-1 virus(Kos strain) was inoculated into the vitreous cavity in 5 eyes. All the eyes were checked with a slit lamp and an indirect ophthalmoscope. Two eyes that showed the retinal lesion were enucleated for the histopathologic examination. The focal infiltration of inflammatory cells was marked around the retinal vessels in one eye and there was the diffuse infiltration of plasma cells and lymphocytes in the choroid and the retina in the other eye. The pattern of proliferation and migration of retinal pigment epithelial cells was observed at the outer retina. The virus-infected nuclei were evident in the photoreceptor cells and ganglion cells. The viral particles and intranuclear inclusion were prominent in the deformed nuclei and free-floating viral particle was shown at the extracellular space of the necrotic retina. These results suggest that the intravitreal inoculation of HSV-1 might induce retinal necrosis. The inflammatory reactions was initiated at the vitreoretinal interface and perivascular area. Virus might be propagated through axons or infected cell from free-flating virus.