Evaluation of Corneas from Donors With Septicemia for Use in Corneal Transplant.

PURPOSE: To evaluate if donor corneas obtained from deaths occurring because of septicemia can be used for corneal transplantation. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. METHODS: Eleven septicemic donor corneas were used in the study and 10 donor corneas from deaths because of causes other than septicemia were used as controls. Blood culture reports of all patients who had donated eyes were collected, and the pathogenic organisms causing septicemia were noted. On obtaining the eyeballs, aqueous and vitreous samples were sent for polymerase chain reaction to analyze for eubacterial and panfungal genomes. Corneal and scleral tissues (3 × 3 mm) were sent for culture in brain heart infusion media. Growth from each of the samples was checked to ascertain if the same organism was isolated in all. RESULTS: One corneal and 3 scleral culture reports in the sepsis group and 1 corneal and 1 scleral culture report in the control group showed positive growth. Normal conjunctival/eyelid commensal organisms were isolated from all culture-positive samples and did not correlate with the pathogenic organism causing the septicemia. Three aqueous and vitreous samples in the sepsis group and 4 samples of aqueous and vitreous in the control group that tested positive for eubacterial genome showed no corresponding growth in the culture report of cornea and sclera. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal tissues harvested from septicemic donors do not necessarily harbor the pathogenic organisms causing the septicemia, suggesting that such corneas may be suitable for transplantation.

Role of Spectralis HRA+OCT spectral domain optical coherence tomography in the diagnosis and management of fungal choroidal granuloma.

OBJECTIVE: To report the usefulness of inverted scan technique using Spectral domain Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in inflammatory fungal chorioretinitis. DESIGN: Case Report-Interventional. METHODS: We present a 53 year old female with sudden painful blurring of vision in left eye. Ocular examination revealed retinochoroiditis.OCT using the inverted scan technique showed a choroidal mass lesion. Polymerase chain reaction was positive for panfungal genome. She was treated with systemic fluconazole. RESULTS: Symptoms improved and the choroidal mass was diminished in size after one week of therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Inverted OCT scan technique is useful in the diagnosis and management of choroidal inflammatory mass lesion.

Retinitis pigmentosa: mutation analysis of RHO, PRPF31, RP1, and IMPDH1 genes in patients from India.

PURPOSE: To screen for possible disease-causing mutations in rhodopsin (RHO), pre-mRNA processing factor 31 (PRPF31), retinitis pigmentosa 1 (RP1), and inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase 1 (IMPDH1) genes in Indian patients with isolated and autosomal dominant forms of retinitis pigmentosa (adRP). Information on such data is not available in India and hence this study was undertaken. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from 48 isolated and 53 adRP patients, who were recruited for the study. Each patient underwent a detailed clinical examination. Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood samples and screened for mutations in four genes using an ABI3100 Avant genetic analyzer. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was performed to amplify the mutated (IVS6+1G/A) mRNA of PRPF31 in a two-generation adRP family. RESULTS: Of the 101 probands analyzed, three harbored possible disease-causing mutations. Pathogenic changes were observed in RHO and PRPF31. A RHO mutation, p.Gly106Arg, was found in an isolated RP patient with sectoral RP. Two novel, heterozygous mutations were identified in PRPF31: p.Lys120GlufsX122 in an isolated RP patient and a splice site mutation, IVS6+1G/A in an adRP patient. However, no disease-causing changes were observed in RP1 and IMPDH1. CONCLUSIONS: We screened RHO, PRPF31, RP1, and IMPDH1 and identified causative mutations in 4% of isolated and 2% of adRP patients from India. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to identify frequencies of mutations in isolated and adRP patients in India.