Featured Article for October 31, 2022
Cytomegalovirus Anterior Uveitis
CMV anterior uveitis is caused by cytomegalovirus, which is a DNA virus that is a member of the Herpesviridae family. Primary CMV infection is common and often subclinical in immunocompetent individuals. Typically, it causes a mild flu-like illness. Like other Herpesviridae (e.g. Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV), and Epstein-Barr Virus) CMV evades immune surveillance and establishes latency. Because CMV lies latent in myeloid progenitor cells, it is thought that CMV anterior uveitis is due to viral reactivation in anterior chamber monocytes in patients who are ill and mounting a systemic immune response.