[Lesions of the vascular tract of the eye (uveitis) caused by enteroviruses in man and monkeys].

Strains of poliomyelitis, ECHO-11 and Coxsackie A7 viruses have first been shown to produce uveitis and keratouveitis in Javan macaca and green monkeys inoculated intraocularly. The most marked clinical picture of the eye affection in monkeys (keratoleukoma and opacity of the anterior chamber humor, edema and hyperemia of the iris, significant changes in the iris colour, development of posterior synechias, marked dilation of the pupil to 5-7 mm, no pupil reaction to light) was observed after inoculation with virulent strains of poliomyelitis virus types I, II, and III, and strains of ECHO-11 virus isolated from children with acute infectious uveitis. Uveitis symptoms in monkeys appeared within 20 hours after virus inoculation and persisted for 3 months of observation. No affection of the eyes developed after administration of flaviviruses or control material. In favour of freshly isolated strains of ECHO-11 virus being the cause of uveitis in the children examined are the following facts: ECHO-11 virus was isolated from 5 out of 10 children with uveitis, neutralizing antibody to ECHO-11 virus was found in 8 out of 9 children with uveitis, seven of them showing a rise in antibody titres to ECHO-11 virus to 1:256-1:1024, the clinical picture of uveitis reproduced in monkeys is very similar to that of uveitis in children. The potential role of poliomyelitis viruses and other enteroviruses in the etiology of human uveitis is discussed.