Comparion of intraocular to plama HIV-1 viral burden in patient with cytomegaloviru retiniti

PURPOE: To determine the relationhip between plama and intraocular human immunodeficiency viru-1 (HIV-1) viral load in 12 conecutive patient undergoing ganciclovir implant urgery for cytomegaloviru (CMV) retiniti. METHOD: Aqueou and vitreou pecimen were aayed for HIV-1 viral load by polymerae chain reaction analyi (Roche Amplicor HIV Monitor; Roche Diagnotic ytem, Inc, Branchburg, New Jerey). REULT: It wa poible to quantitatively aay HIV-1 burden in intraocular fluid uing polymerae chain reaction analyi. In general, patient with plama viral load le than 250,000 copie/ml had undetectable (<200 copie/ml) HIV-1 in their aqueou and vitreou. CONCLUION: It i likely that intraocular viral level have everal determinant in addition to plama viral load, with which they only partially correlate.