[Experimental autoimmune uveitis--a clinical and pathological study].

Experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) was induced in 95% of guinea pigs after immunization by a single intradermal injection of homologous retinal tissue in Freund's complete adjuvant and subcutaneous injection of dead pertussis bacilli. The clinical features were circumcorneal injection, cells and flare in the anterior chamber, vasodilation in the iris, and marked cellular exudate in the vitreous. The pathological changes were characterized by diffuse proliferative granulomatous panuveitis, consisting of lymphocytes, macrophages, and epithelioid cells. The outer layers of the retina were disrupted or missing in areas where the pigment epithelium was damaged.