Retinitis induction by human cytomegalovirus in imunossupressed rabbits

Abstract

The search for new therapies to the HCMV retinitis made researchers look for an animal model for this infection. In anterior study we didn’t get a good level of imunossupression in rabbits with Azathiprina and Prednisona. In this way, we opt for use the Cyclophosphamide in five rabbits of New Zealand race, in which were injected HCMV in vitreous of both eyes, in different stages of imunossupression protocol. The observation period was 112 days, observing sistemics alterations (weight, blood count) and ocular alterations (trough binocular ophthalmoscopy and retinography ). After the animals sacrifice, it was researched HCMV antigens in vitreous and retina. It was found important weight loss, blood count not compatible with the imunossupression signs, retinians lesions and vitreous alterations not specifics (exsudate and vitreits with spontaneous involution ). It wasn’t detected HCMV antigens in vitreous and retina inprints from the sacrificed rabbits. In this way, it was concluded that also with this new imunossupression scheme, the HCMV causes not specific intra-ocular inflamation. Therefore, the HCMV inoculation in rabbits doesn’t determine an experimental model to HCMV retinitis.