[Diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of herpes virus associated uveitis]

According to the World Health Organization, 60- 95 % of the population worldwide is infected by viruses of the herpes viridae family. Excellent adaptation of the organisms and host-related factors are probably predisposing for this global distribution. Herpes virus infections are probably the most common infectious cause of blindness in the Western world. Besides the well known manifestations of keratitis and anterior uveitis caused by HSV and VZV, new aspects have been discovered, in particular, in CMV-related disorders. Molecular biological methods have been instrumental to explore and discover herpes virus associated disorders and have provided new insights. Whereas keratitis and anterior uveitis are the most common clinical manifestations, more severe disorders such as posterior uveitis, panuveitis and acute retina necrosis syndrome have all been attributed to herpes virus infections. Since the therapeutic intervention greatly varies in these acute situations, identification of the causative agent is essential. Serology is rarely helpful, whereas analyses of aqueous humor or vitreous samples provide clues for the etiology. Aqueous humor antibody testing and PCR have demonstrated excellent diagnostic power with high sensitivity and high specificity. This review is intended to provide an overview on the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of this important disorder.