Cytomegalovirus anterior uveitis in immunocompetent individuals following topical prostaglandin analogues

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to report two interesting cases of cytomegalovirus (CMV) anterior uveitis following topical prostaglandin analogue administration for glaucoma. Two retrospective case studies are presented. FINDINGS: A 40-year-old immunocompetent lady with a history of Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis with secondary glaucoma in the right eye since 2005 was diagnosed to have CMV anterior uveitis by a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 2009. She developed a reactivation of anterior uveitis following the addition of latanoprost 0.005% eye drops unknowingly by her local ophthalmologist. The pattern of endothelial deposits seen with this reactivation of uveitis was different from that seen in earlier or in subsequent reactivations. A 46-year-old immunocompetent lady with a history of primary open-angle glaucoma and no history of uveitis presented with anterior uveitis with medium-sized keratic precipitates following administration of travatoprost 0.004% eye drops. In both cases, the CMV antigen was demonstrated in the aqueous by multiplex PCR at the time of reactivation. Both cases required treatment with dexamethasone eye drops, ganciclovir 1% gel and oral valganciclovir for the control of inflammation along with antiglaucoma medications. CONCLUSIONS: We report two immunocompetent cases with the development of CMV-related anterior uveitis following administration with prostaglandin analogues. These cases increase the awareness of CMV anterior uveitis in immunocompetent individuals and the need to use prostaglandin analogues with caution.