The use of a passive hemagglutination test (PHA) in the diagnosis of viral eye diseases. Investigation of lacrimal fluid for the presence of antibody to herpes simplex virus (HSV).

The use of a passive haemagglutination test (PHA) with a stable erythrocyte diagnostic preparation sensitized with herpes simplex virus for the detection of antibody to herpes simplex virus (HSV) in the lacrimal fluid of the patients is described. Specific antibody to HSV antigen was found in 68% of the lacrimal fluids taken from patients suffering from herpetic eye disease. In patients with superficial keratitis the antibodies were found more frequently and in higher titers than in deep involvements of the cornea. In patients with keratitis and keratouveitis of unknown etiology, antibody in tears was found in 23%, and in those with inflammatory diseases of nonherpetic etiology, in 14.2%. In clinically normal subjects and patients with non-inflammatory eye affections no HSV antibody could be found in tears. Geometric mean antibody titers in tears of patients with herpes simplex keratitis and keratouveitis were statistically significantly higher than in patients with other diagnoses. The diagnostic importance of HSV antibody found in tears is discussed.