[Molecular biology-based methods for pathogen detection in endophthalmitis].

Recent developments in diagnostic molecular biology allow novel approaches in the detection of infections in ocular fluids. In endophthalmitis new PCR techniques often allow faster microbiological diagnosis than conventional culture methods. Furthermore they show a higher sensitivity and can also be applied after pre-treatment with antibiotics where culture techniques often fail. Molecular techniques are of particular use in recurrent and therapy-resistant infections. In the diagnostics of uveitis molecular approaches enable the detection of fastidious microbes and of pathogens that cannot be found by culture methods. In special situations identification even to the species level is possible. In immunocompromised patients molecular techniques show more accurate results than serological ones. However, molecular diagnostic tools also bear limitations that have to be considered.