[Immunoglobulins in the tear secretion in cases of herpetic keratitis]

The goal of this study is to analyse the immunoglobulins of patients with herpetic keratitis. Tears have been collected from 36 patients with herpetic keratitis (study group) and 20 healthy volunteers (control group). Quantitative determination of A, G, M immunoglobulins and secretor IgA has been performed by Mancini radial immunodiffusion method. Our study has revealed the following results: a decrease in IgM and IgA levels compared with control group (p < 0.01) and an increase in secretory IgA compared with fellow eye (p < 0.05) in patients with herpetic keratitis of the first manifestation; eyes with recidivant herpetic keratitis showed higher level of IgA than the control group (p < 0.01) and a higher level of IgG than the first disease manifestation group (p < 0.05); the IgA level in the healthy eye of the patients with herpetic keratitis appeared significantly lower than in the control group (p < 0.001).