Review of choroidal osteomas

Choroidal osteomas are rare benign ossifying tumors that appear as irregular slightly elevated, yellow-white, juxtapapillary, choroidal mass with well-defined geographic borders, depigmentation of the overlying pigment epithelium; and with multiple small vascular networks on the tumor surface. Visual loss results from three mechanisms: Atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium overlying a decalcified osteoma; serous retinal detachment over the osteoma from decompensated retinal pigment epithelium, and most commonly from choroidal neovascularization. Recent evidence points to the beneficial effects of intravitreal vascular endothelial growth factor antagonists in improving visual acuity in serous retinal detachment with or without choroidal neovascularization

Cluster bomb ocular injuries

To present the visual outcomes and ocular sequelae of victims of cluster bombs. This retrospective, multicenter case series of ocular injury due to cluster bombs was conducted for 3 years after the war in South Lebanon [July 2006]. Data were gathered from the reports to the Information Management System for Mine Action. There were 308 victims of clusters bombs; 36 individuals were killed, of which 2 received ocular lacerations and; 272 individuals were injured with 18 receiving ocular injury. These 18 surviving individuals were assessed by the authors. Ocular injury occurred in 6.5% [20/308] of cluster bomb victims. Trauma to multiple organs occurred in 12 of 18 cases [67%] with ocular injury. Ocular findings included corneal or scleral lacerations [16 eyes], corneal foreign bodies [9 eyes], corneal decompensation [2 eyes], ruptured cataract [6 eyes], and intravitreal foreign bodies [10 eyes]. The corneas of one patient had extreme attenuation of the endothelium. Ocular injury occurred in 6.5% of cluster bomb victims and 67% of the patients with ocular injury sustained trauma to multiple organs. Visual morbidity in civilians is an additional reason for a global ban on the use of cluster bombs

Toxoplasmosis among pregnant women in Qualyobia Governorate, Egypt

This study was conducted between August 2007 and October 2008 to identify the sero-prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii among pregnant women of different ages and stages of gestation. Latex agglutination test was used as screening test. ELISA-IgG and IgM tests measured for the Toxo-Latex positive cases to identify toxoplasmosis clinical status. The results indicated that the prevalence of T. gondii among pregnant women was relatively high in the rural [57.6%] than urban [46.5%] areas. The positivity was correlated, in general, with age as it was higher in the older age groups. No specific clinical pictures were noticed in different patients with variable proportions, as well as a less marked correlation between Toxo-latex positive cases and having toxoplasmic congenital babies. But, neither correlation was detected between the history of congenital toxoplasmosis, or contact with cats and the Toxo-latex out-come results. An acute newly infected pregnant women during their first trimester of pregnancy that represents the rate of incidence of T. gondii in which ELISA-IgM positive and ELISA-IgG negative, was 23 cases [27.05%] and v.v. was 20 [23.54]. The interpretation of IgM and IgG was given