SERUM INTERFERON IN ACUTE NONGRANULOMATOUS ANTERIOR UVEITIS

Abstract

To the Editor. —In most cases the etiology of nongranulomatous anterior uveitis is obscure. Both infectious and imunological hypersensitivity mechanisms have been postulated. A heretofore undetected virus often is contemplated as the infectious agent. Interferon is a protein produced by virusinfected cells, which acts intracellularly to prevent replication of viruses.¹ It can be measured in the serum of patients within 24 hours after viremia² and usually persists in the serum for about three to five days^. Serum interferon has been detected during the early clinical course of several viral infections.^4-7 Thus, if uveitis were virus-mediated, it might be possible to measure serum interferon levels in patients with acute nongranulomatous anterior uveitis. I have studied the serum interferon levels of two patients with typical acute, monocular, nongranulomatous anterior uveitis of unknown cause. Neither patient had a history of previous eye disease. Interferon was measured using a modification of