[Viral lesions of the eye in human immunodeficiency virus infection]

HIV infection destroying cellular immunity system creates prerequisites for herpesvirus involvement of the anterior and posterior segments of the eye. A total of 370 HIV-infected patients were examined. Ocular diseases were detected in 53 (14.35%). The most prevalent conditions were retinal angiopathy (most often with cotton-like foci--in 7.3% and cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in 4.1%). Cotton-like foci in the presence of CMV activation (evidenced by high level of CMV DNA in peripheral blood) are a sign of probable CMV infection manifesting by retinitis or involvement of other organs. Intravenous gancyclovir in a dose of 7.5 mg/kg twice a day and its combination with interferon inductor poludan are effective methods for therapy of CMV infection, preventing blindness or poor vision. Moreover, combination of chemotherapy with interferon inductors cured involvement of the anterior segment of the eye--herpetic keratitis and iridocyclitis, which sometimes develop in the presence of HIV infection.