Calmette-Wolff-Eisner Ophthalmic reaction

Calmette-Wolff-Eisner ophthalmic reactionsI (KVO) is a method for diagnosing ocular tuberculosis, which is based on the body’s reaction to the introduction of tuberculin into the conjunctiva. This method was developed in 1907 by French microbiologist Albert Calmette and German physician Alfred Wolff-Eisner, who used it to diagnose tuberculosis in humans.

The KVO method involves injecting a small amount of tuberculin into the conjunctiva of the eye. A few days after the injection, redness, swelling and the formation of blisters with clear liquid may occur in the conjunctiva. These symptoms indicate the presence of a tuberculosis infection.

This method is one of the most accurate methods for diagnosing ocular tuberculosis, but it has some disadvantages. For example, it cannot be used to diagnose active tuberculosis because the body does not respond to it. Also, the KVO method is expensive and requires special equipment and training.

Despite this, the KVO method remains one of the main methods for diagnosing ocular tuberculosis in the world. It allows you to quickly and accurately determine the presence of tuberculosis infection and begin treatment.

For many years, ophthalmologists around the world have solved the problem of diagnosing ocular tuberculosis (goniopertuberculosis) and vesicles (gonococcal eye lesions). The first classic reaction, in which the test involved the introduction of conjunctival substances using a glass cannula into the lesion. This was done blindly, without strict asepsis (i.e., using a contaminated sheet and wipe instead of a separate sterile kit). The eyelid was massaged, after which a drop of hashish oil was injected into the conjunctival sac. When examined at the slit lamp, there was a decrease in moisture density. The tuberculin test was known, but did not allow accurately determining the presence of pathological conditions. During the study of the problem by other authors, in particular the Russian doctor S. N. Kulikovsky, the Finnish ophthalmologist K. Wolff-Eisner developed a method of introducing purified tuberculin into the conjunctiva in a dilution of 1:200 or less. However, it was not possible to achieve a clear reaction. The Frenchman F. Calmette in the mid-19th century proposed injecting into the conjunctiva, in order to diagnose ocular tuberculosis, a purified culture of the tuberculin bacillus, which could either be obtained through the artificial cultivation of microbes, or obtained by examining human sputum. The physicist, his student Jean A. Courbon, proposed a method for carrying out the reaction. The essence of the technique is that a small amount of adsorbed tuberculotest is applied to the conjunctiva of the eye, a 5% solution of cocaine or purified cocaine is rubbed into the eyelid area.