[The polymerase reaction--PCR--a new diagnostic method in herpetic keratitis]

In the short history of molecular biology the emergence of a new technique--PCR (polymerase chain reaction)--has transformed the way we approach fundamental and clinical ophthalmologic problems. Its principle consists in the capacity of amplification of specific segments of DNA. In this paper we summarize the way in which PCR can identify herpetic DNA in cornea. The method is precise, the sample need not be chemical pure and the result is obtained in a few hours.