@article {1581, title = {Multiple Anterior Chamber Paracenteses May Be Needed to Identify Cytomegalovirus Anterior Uveitis.}, journal = {Am J Ophthalmol}, volume = {269}, year = {2025}, month = {2025 Jan}, pages = {189-194}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: To demonstrate cases of anterior uveitis requiring more than one anterior chamber paracenesis to elucidate CMV as the causative etiology.

DESIGN: Retrospective chart review.

METHODS: Patients were seen at the Francis I. Proctor Foundation at the University of California, San Francisco between 2013 and 2024. Patients who required more than one anterior chamber paracentesis to detect CMV as the etiologic agent of their anterior uveitis were included. Number of anterior chamber paracenteses required to detect CMV, demographic and clinical features, viral load at time of positive anterior chamber paracentesis and association between topical corticosteroid use and viral load at time of positive anterior chamber paracentesis.

RESULTS: Fourteen patients required a median of 2 (range 2-4) anterior chamber paracenteses to detect CMV. Mean age was 48.2 years, and 57.1\% were male. Most patients (64.3\%) were born in East and Southeast Asia. All affected eyes featured ocular hypertension. Five patients (35.7\%) were initially treated with systemic immunosuppression before CMV was detected. Increasing frequency of topical corticosteroid use was significantly associated with higher CMV viral loads (P \< .001). Five patients (35.7\%) required glaucoma surgery. In 13 patients with available data, uveitis was present for an average of 2776 days (range 23-7889 days) prior to CMV detection. Once diagnosed, most patients were treated with oral valganciclovir, with one patient transitioning to letermovir due to side effects.

CONCLUSIONS: CMV anterior uveitis may be more prevalent than previously recognized and often requires multiple anterior chamber paracenteses for diagnosis. Reliance on a signle negative test may lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for CMV in cases of recurrent anterior uveitis, particularly in patients of East and Southeast Asian descent. This study highlights the importance of repeated testing and appropriate antiviral treatment to prevent complications such as glaucoma.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Anterior Chamber, Antiviral Agents, Cytomegalovirus, Cytomegalovirus Infections, DNA, Viral, Eye Infections, Viral, Female, Glucocorticoids, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Retrospective Studies, Uveitis, Anterior, Viral Load, Young Adult}, issn = {1879-1891}, doi = {10.1016/j.ajo.2024.08.025}, author = {Benador-Shen, Christine and Shantha, Jessica and Lee, Jennifer and Qian, Ying and Doan, Thuy and Gonzales, John A} } @article {106, title = {Reduction of Coronavirus Burden With Mass Azithromycin Distribution.}, journal = {Clin Infect Dis}, volume = {71}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 11 19}, pages = {2282-2284}, abstract = {

We evaluated the potential antiviral effects of azithromycin on the nasopharyngeal virome of Nigerien children who had received multiple rounds of mass drug administration. We found that the respiratory burden of non-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses was decreased with azithromycin distributions. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT02047981.

}, keywords = {Administration, Oral, Antiviral Agents, Azithromycin, Child, Preschool, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Infections, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Mass Drug Administration, Nasopharynx, Nigeria, Viral Load}, issn = {1537-6591}, doi = {10.1093/cid/ciaa606}, author = {Doan, Thuy and Hinterwirth, Armin and Arzika, Ahmed M and Worden, Lee and Chen, Cindi and Zhong, Lina and Oldenburg, Catherine E and Keenan, Jeremy D and Lietman, Thomas M} } @article {36, title = {Rigorous Randomized Controlled Trial Implementation in the Era of COVID-19.}, journal = {Am J Trop Med Hyg}, volume = {102}, year = {2020}, month = {2020 06}, pages = {1154-1155}, keywords = {Antiviral Agents, Azithromycin, Betacoronavirus, Clinical Laboratory Techniques, Coronavirus Infections, COVID-19, COVID-19 Testing, Drug Repositioning, Humans, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir, Pandemics, Pneumonia, Viral, Practice Guidelines as Topic, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Ritonavir, Sample Size, SARS-CoV-2, United States}, issn = {1476-1645}, doi = {10.4269/ajtmh.20-0262}, author = {Oldenburg, Catherine E and Doan, Thuy} } @article {76, title = {A double masked randomised 4-week, placebo-controlled study in the USA, Thailand and Taiwan to compare the efficacy of oral valganciclovir and topical 2\% ganciclovir in the treatment of cytomegalovirus anterior uveitis: study protocol.}, journal = {BMJ Open}, volume = {9}, year = {2019}, month = {2019 12 19}, pages = {e033175}, abstract = {

INTRODUCTION: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) anterior uveitis is a recognised cause of anterior uveitis in immunocompetent patients and is preventable cause of vision loss. Ocular sequelae include corneal endothelial damage which can cause corneal oedema and failure, as well as glaucoma. Recurrences of inflammation are common and therefore patients are often exposed to long-term therapy. Oral therapy is available in the form of valganciclovir, although with the caveat of systemic side effects such as bone marrow suppression and renal failure necessitating regular interval laboratory monitoring. Recent reports have demonstrated that topical 2\% ganciclovir solution may offer promising treatment outcomes in patients with CMV anterior uveitis with superior safety, cost-effectiveness and convenience profiles. An investigation into the relative equipoise of these therapies is warranted for these reasons.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The Systemic and Topical Control of Cytomegalovirus Anterior uveitis: Treatment Outcomes (STACCATO) trial is designed as a multicentre, block randomised by site, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial comparing the efficacy of oral valganciclovir, 2\% topical ganciclovir and placebo in treating PCR-proven CMV anterior uveitis. Participant clinical evaluation will occur at three study time points by a masked study ophthalmologist over a 28-day period to assess resolution of ocular inflammation (secondary outcome). A control group will provide additional information about the possible impact that the infected host{\textquoteright}s immune response may play in controlling local viral replication. The primary analysis is an analysis of covariance (three arms) correcting for baseline to compare quantitative CMV viral load in the anterior chamber (AC) aqueous fluid before and 7 days after treatment.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The University of California San Francisco Committee on Human Research and the Khon Kaen University Institutional Review Board have given ethical approval. The results of this trial will be presented at local and international meetings and submitted for peer-reviewed journals for publication.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03576898.

}, keywords = {Administration, Oral, Administration, Topical, Antiviral Agents, Cytomegalovirus Infections, Double-Blind Method, Ganciclovir, Humans, Multicenter Studies as Topic, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Taiwan, Thailand, United States, Uveitis, Anterior, Valganciclovir, Viral Load}, issn = {2044-6055}, doi = {10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033175}, author = {Takhar, Jaskirat S and Joye, Ashlin S and Somkijrungroj, Thanapong and Laovirojjanakul, Wipada and Lin, Chang-Ping and Lietman, Thomas M and Porco, Travis C and Keenan, Jeremy D and Gebreegziabher, Elisabeth A and Seitzman, Gerami D and Rose-Nussbaumer, Jennifer and Thuy A Doan and Acharya, Nisha R and Gonzales, John A} }