[Ocular murine cytomegalovirus infection in immunocompromised hosts]

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) chorioretinitis is one of the commonest complications in immunocompromised hosts. However, the entire scope of ocular involvement during generalized CMV infection in immunocompromised hosts is yet to be elucidated. Balb/c nude mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with Smith strain of salivary gland passaged murine cytomegalovirus. Eight days after infection, they were sacrificed and the pathological features of virus spread were studied by immunofluorescence method. Subconjunctival tissues, corneal stroma, outer ocular muscles and occasional choroidal tissue are the site of positive fluorescence in the eye. At the same time, viral antigens were detected in the various organs such as spleen, liver, salivary glands, etc. Balb/c nude mice were injected intraperitoneally with silica three days and one day prior to virus infection to suppress their macrophages. The localization of viral antigens in the silica-treated mice was similar to that in untreated mice. When the peripheral blood obtained from the nude mice infected for 8 days was titrated for the virus, cell-free virus and blood-cell-associated virus was detected. These results indicated that cell-free virus is the major source of its spread.