Purpose: To study the etiology of an acute iridocyclitis in a patient with AIDS using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of aqueous humor.
Methods: Case report describing a patient diagnosed with toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis in his left eye. He stopped his treatment after three weeks and subsequently developed an acute iridocyclitis without chorioretinitis in the fellow eye. Anterior chamber paracentesis was performed and aqueous humor was assayed by PCR.
Results: PCR of the aqueous humor showed positivity for Toxoplasma gondii. The iridocyclitis responded to topical dexamethasone and oral treatment with pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine.
Conclusion: PCR is an effective method to diagnose toxoplasmic iridocyclitis in a patient with AIDS.