Clinical profile and ophthalmologic manifestations of Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus / Perfil clínico e achados oftalmológicos no Herpes Zoster Oftálmico

ABSTRACT Objective: Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus (HZO) is caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and commonly affects elderly or immunocompromised patients. It has the potential to generate severe complications such as corneal ulcers, uveitis, retinal necrosis and post herpetic neuralgia. This study aimed to evaluate patients at the acute onset of the disease and describe their clinical profile and ophthalmologic findings. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed from March 2014 to October 2015. All consecutive patients with the diagnosis of acute HZO (at a vesicle, pustule or crust stage) were enrolled and submitted to an ophthalmologic exam that included ectoscopy, best corrected visual acuity, corneal sensitivity test, slit-lamp examination, Goldmann applanation tonometry and funduscopic examination. Results: Nineteen patients were included. The mean age was 71 years old, ranging from 52 to 88. Ten patients had high blood pressure (52.6%) and nine (47.3%) had diabetes. Visual acuity lowered in comparison to the fellow eye in eleven patients (57%), ranging from one to six lines of vision, due mostly to epithelial keratitis and ocular discharge. Intraocular pressure (IOP) did not varied in most cases compared to the fellow eye. Hutchinson's sign (HS) was present in seven (36%) patients. The correlation between HS and anterior chamber reaction as well as decreased corneal sensitivity was statistically significant with Fisher's test of 0.009 and 0.029 respectively (p<0.05). Conclusion: The clinical profile of our patients was elderly patients with a higher rate of diabetes. Correlation between Hutchinson's sign and anterior chamber reaction as well as decrease in corneal sensitivity was significant. High intraocular pressure or posterior segment complications were not found in any cases.

RESUMO Objetivos: Herpes Zoster Oftálmico (HZO) é uma doença causada pelo vírus varicella-zoster que comumente afeta idosos ou doentes imunossuprimidos, com potencial para gerar graves comorbidades oculares, incluindo úlceras corneanas, uveíte, necrose retiniana e neuralgia pós-herpética. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar estes pacientes na forma aguda da doença e descrever seu perfil clínico e achados oftalmológicos. Métodos: Um estudo transversal foi realizado entre março de 2014 e outubro de 2015. Todos os pacientes consecutivos com o diagnóstico de HZO (na forma vesicular, pustulosa ou crostosa) foram incluídos e submetidos ao exame oftalmológico que incluiu ectoscopia, melhor acuidade visual corrigida, teste de sensibilidade corneana, biomicroscopia, tonometria de aplanação de Goldmann e fundoscopia. Resultados: Dezenove pacientes foram incluídos. A idade média foi de 71 anos. Dez (52,6%) pacientes relataram hipertensão arterial sistêmica e nove (47,3%) diabetes mellitus. A acuidade visual do olho acometido se encontrou abaixo do olho contra lateral em 57% dos casos, variando entre uma a seis linhas de visão. A pressão intraocular não variou na maioria dos casos em comparação com o olho contralateral. O sinal de Hutchinson estava presente em sete (36%) pacientes. A correlação entre este sinal e a presença tanto de reação de câmara anterior quanto de hipoestesia corneana foi positiva estatisticamente, com teste exato de Fisher de 0,009 e 0,029 respectivamente (p<0,05). Conclusão: Idosos com uma prevalência elevada de diabetes mellitus representaram o perfil clínico dos pacientes deste estudo. A correlação entre o sinal de Hutchinson e reação de câmara anterior, bem como daquele com hipoestesia corneana foi estatisticamente significativa. Não foi identificado nenhum caso de hipertensão ocular ou complicações de segmento posterior.

Optic neuritis complicating herpes zoster ophthalmicus in an immunocompetent patient / Zoster optic neuritis in immunocompentent

A 58-year-old woman presented with rash over the left side of the face and intense acute uveitis. Following careful review of the symptoms and dilated fundus examination unilateral optic neuritis was discovered. The rash was typical of varicella zoster dermatitis. Patients presenting with herpes zoster ophthalmicus should always undergo dilated fundus examination, as there is a potential risk of unexpected posterior segment inflammation. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can avoid visual sequelae.

Paciente de 58 anos de idade apresentando erupção cutânea no lado esquerdo da face e intensa uveíte unilateral. Após cuidadosa revisão dos sintomas e exame de fundo do olho foi detectada neurite óptica. O rash era típico de dermatite por varicella zoster. Pacientes apresentando quadro de herpes zoster oftálmico devem ser submetidos ao exame de fundo do olho devido ao risco de inesperada inflamação do segmento posterior. Diagnóstico precoce e tratamento imediato podem evitar danos visuais.

A rare case of orbital apex syndrome with herpes zoster ophthalmicus in a human immunodeficiency virus-positive patient.

We report a rare instance of favorable outcome in orbital apex syndrome secondary to herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) in a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patient. The patient complained of pain and decrease in vision in one eye (20/640) for 2 weeks accompanied with swelling, inability to open eye, and rashes around the periocular area and forehead. The presence of complete ophthalmoplegia, ptosis, relative afferent pupillary defect, and anterior uveitis with decreased corneal sensation prompted a diagnosis of HZO with orbital apex syndrome. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test and a low CD4 count confirmed HIV. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), systemic acyclovir, and systemic steroids were started. Visual acuity and uveitis improved within 10 days. By the end of the fourth week, ocular motility also recovered and the final visual acuity was 20/25. We highlight the role of HAART, used in conjunction with systemic steroid and acyclovir therapy, in improving the outcome.

Encefalitis por virus varicela zoster: a propósito de un caso / Encephalitis by varicella zoster virus: a propos of a case

Se trata de una paciente blanca, femenina, de 79 años, que en el curso de un herpes zoster oftálmico comienza con manifestaciones clínicas neurológicas, que se interpretaron inicialmente como reacciones adversas al tratamiento oral con aciclovir; siendo el sistema nervioso central la localización extracutánea más frecuente de este herpes virus; y la forma más común de afectación neurológica en esta infección es una encefalitis, se pensó en esta entidad a pesar de su atipicidad no reportada en la bibliografía consultada, lo que motivó a realizar una revisión exhaustiva de este tema. La paciente evolucionó satisfactoriamente con desaparición de los síntomas y signos clínicos.

It deals with a 79-years-old, white, female patient, beginning with neurological clinical manifestations in the course of ophthalmologic zoster herpes. Initially they were interpreted as adverse reactions of the acyclovir treatment. Being the central nervous centre the most frequent extra-cutaneous location of this herpes virus, and encephalitis the most common neurologic affection in this infection, we thought about this entity despite of its atypicity, which was not found in the consulted bibliography. It motivated us to make an exhaustive review of this theme. The evolution of the patient was positive, disappearing the clinic signs and symptoms.

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus followed by contralateral hemiplegia

Despite adequate antiviral treatment an immuno-competent 57-year-old Asian male developed hemiplegia two months after an attack of herpes zoster ophthalmicus. He survived with significant residual neurologic sequelae. Several mechanisms have been postulated for the pathogenesis of this rare condition. There is no agreement on the best treatment; antivirals and steroids have been used with inconclusive results

Achados oftalmológicos em pacientes que receberam transplante cardíaco / Ophthalmologic findings in cardiac transplant recipients

OBJETIVO: Avaliar os achados oculares, pelo exame oftalmológico, em indivíduos que receberam transplante cardíaco, buscando especialmente investigar possíveis alterações na camada de fibras nervosas da retina com polarímetro de varredura a laser. MÉTODOS: Foram estudados 15 indivíduos que receberam transplante cardíaco no período de setembro de 2003 a julho de 2004. Todos foram submetidos a exame que constava de acuidade visual para longe (AVL), biomicroscopia, tonometria e fundoscopia. Onze pacientes foram submetidos ao analisador de fibras nervosas GDx. Doze eram do sexo masculino e a média da idade foi de 55,0 ± 13,5 anos. O tempo decorrido desde o transplante variou de 3 a 74 meses, com média de 29,7 ± 20,8 meses. RESULTADOS: A AVL com melhor correção foi igual ou melhor do que 20/40 em todos os pacientes. Em um deles observou-se a presença de catarata subcapsular posterior; em outro, nubéculas na córnea secundárias a quadro de herpes zoster. À fundoscopia pôde-se observar lesão cicatrizada sugestiva de retinocoroidite em um paciente. As alterações observadas à biomicroscopia e à fundoscopia eram esperadas devido à imunossupressão subseqüente ao transplante. Ao GDx observou-se perda de fibras da camada de fibras nervosas da retina superior em 12 dos 22 olhos avaliados. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados apóiam a suposição de que antes ou durante o transplante cardíaco tenha havido diminuição no aporte de oxigênio à circulação retiniana, levando a perda parcial de fibras da retina.

PURPOSE: To evaluate findings of ophthalmologic examinations in cardiac transplant recipients, searching especially for changes in the retinal nerve fiber layer by means of Scanning Laser Polarimetry. METHODS: Fifteen cardiac transplant recipients were examined from September 2003 to July 2004. All of them underwent ophthalmologic examination, which consisted of visual acuity (VA), biomicroscopy, tonometry and fundoscopy. Fiber layer analyzer - GDx - examination was performed in eleven patients. Twelve patients were men. The mean age was 55.0 ± 13.5 years. The follow-up since transplantation lasted from 3 to 74 months; mean value 29.7 ± 20.8 months. RESULTS: VA with best correction in all patients attained at least 20/40. Subcapsular posterior cataract was seen in one patient; another presented corneal nubeculae secondary to herpes zoster. In one case a scar suggesting retinocoroiditis was seen at fundoscopy. Biomicroscopic and the fundoscopic findings were expected because of immunosuppressive treatment, following transplantation. GDx examination disclosed loss of fibers in the superior retinal fiber layer in 12 of the 22 examined eyes. CONCLUSION: These results support the hypothesis that reduction of oxygen inflow in retinal circulation before or during heart transplantation could lead to loss of fibers in the retinal nerve fiber layer.

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus in an otherwise healthy 7 years child.

A 07 years otherwise healthy child, non vaccinated for chickenpox and with a history of chickenpox infection at 02 years of age presented with red colored lesions in right upper lid, right side of forehead, vertex and right side of nose and defective vision in right eye in Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, 20 days after the appearance of blister in the same region. On examination granulation tissue was present on the same area. There was no hair and skin over that area. Lesion was strictly limited to right side of midline. Eyelashes of right upper lid were absent and there was defective closure of eyelids. Best corrected visual acuity of right eye was 3/60 and of left eye was 6/6. There was ciliary congestion of right eye with haziness of cornea at interpalpebral region of right eye. Corneal sensitivity was reduced and there was uniform fluorescein staining at central part of cornea. Mild flare and cells were present in anterior chamber. Fundus examination revealed no abnormality. He was treated with systemic acyclovir, antibiotics, topical acyclovir, antibiotic and atropine. Corneal ulcer and skin lesions were healed, but the patient developed cicatricial ectropion of right upper lid and best corrected visual acuity of right eye was reduced to 6/60 due to corneal opacity. So early diagnosis and treatment of herpes zoster ophthalmicus is mandatory to prevent sight threatening complications.

Human immunodeficiency virus infection in a child presenting as herpes zoster ophthalmicus.

Herpes zoster is mainly a disease of the elderly. Its occurrence in younger age should be viewed with suspicion. A 9-year-old boy presented with herpes zoster ophthalmicus. He had a history of abdominal surgery one and half years back during which he had received blood transfusion. A year following the surgery he developed general malaise and fever with progressive weight loss. He was treated by local doctors. Subsequently he developed eruptions of blisters around right eye for a duration of 8 days, with which he presented to the department of ophthalmology, Pt JNM Medical College, Raipur. On investigations he was found to have infected with human immunodeficiency virus. Systemic acyclovir along with antiretroviral treatment was started, to which he showed favourable response.

Herpes zoster with dissemination.

Herpes zoster or shingles is an acute vesico-bullous cutaneous infection characterized by dermatomal distribution, predominantly in adults. Extensive cutaneous dissemination has been reported in immunocompromised patients. However, its existence is documented in immunocompetent individuals as well. We report two children with disseminated herpes zoster, one of whom was immunocompromised secondary to severe mal-nutrition and had associated orbital septal cellulitis.

Síndrome do ápice orbital associado com herpes zoster oftálmico em paciente HIV positivo: relato de caso / Orbital apex syndrome and herpes zoster ophthalmicus in an HIV positive patient: case report

O presente relato tem como objetivo apresentar um caso raro de síndrome do ápice orbital associado com herpes zoster oftálmico de prognóstico reservado em paciente HIV positivo que procurou o pronto-socorro com quadro clínico de lesões crostosas em hemiface esquerda, dolorosa, acompanhado de baixa acuidade visual, diminuição da sensibilidade corneal e oftalmoplegia completa do olho esquerdo. A síndrome do ápice orbital é entidade rara que se caracteriza por ptose, proptose, oftalmoplegia interna e externa (acometimento do II, III, IV e VI nervos cranianos), prejuízo funcional da primeira divisão do nervo trigêmeo (nervo oftálmico) e graus variados de diminuição da acuidade visual. O tratamento do herpes zoster oftálmico baseia-se no uso de antivirais sistêmicos, sendo que o prognóstico irá variar conforme o acometimento ocular.

Maxillary zoster with corneal involvement.

A case, of maxillary zoster with corneal involvement in a young patient is described. Corneal involvement in maxillary zoster (Medline search) is rare.

Herpes zóster trigeminal. Tratamiento del herpes zóster oftálmico en fase eruptiva por bloqueo del ganglio de Gasser / Trigeminal herpes zoster. Treatment of ophthalmic herpes zoster in eruptive phase with blockage of Gasserian ganglion

La gravedad del herpes zoster oftálmico combinada con un manejo pobre y/o tardío puede conducir a lesiones oftálmicas crónicas, síndrome de neuralgia postherpética y cicatrices en la piel tan severas que semejan quemaduras de tercer grado. Marsh describe tres etapas de compromiso ocular: 1) lesiones oftálmicas agudas que se desarrollan dentro de las primeras tres semanas de la etapa eruptiva; pueden volverse crónicas y el dolor persistir como síndrome de neuralgia postherpética. 2) lesiones oftálmicas crónicas que pueden persistir por más de 10 años. 3) lesiones oftálmicas recurrentes que pueden reaparecer hasta seis años después del ataque agudo. Ciento cuarenta pacientes con diagnóstico de herpes zoster oftálmico en etapa eruptiva, con evolución de 4 a 18 días y con diversos tipos de lesiones oftálmicas de consecuencias que varían de simples a devastadoras, fueron tratados con bloqueo de ganglio de Gasser inyectando bupivacaína y betametasona para valorar sus efectos sobre tales lesiones. Un día después de haber efectuado el bloqueo del ganglio de Gasser afectado, notamos una disminución importante en la severidad de las lesiones oftálmicas, con cambios notorios en las lesiones de piel con tendencia a su resolución. También obsevamos que ninguno de los pacientes tratados dentro de los primeros siete días del inicio de la etapa eruptiva desarrollaron secuelas oftálmicas, que es uno de los más severos problemas de este padecimiento. Los pacientes bloqueados después de este lapso tuvieron diversos tipos de secuelas oftálmicas. Como conclusión decimos que efectuar este procedimiento tempranamente conduce a una mejoría clínica significativa y cambios dramáticos, en horas, de las lesiones oftálmicas y de la piel, sin que haya secuelas oftálmicas ni se desarrolle síndrome de neuralgia postherpética; además, las cicatrices en la piel fueron benignas.

The diagnostic significance of enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay for herpes simplex, varicella zoster and cytomegalovirus retinitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) in single serum samples to associate herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella zoster virus (VZV) or cytomegalovirus (CMV) with viral retinitis as against polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on intraocular specimens. It was also designed to study the seroprevalence in normal healthy individuals, and the genomic prevalence of HSV, VZV and CMV in patients without an active viral inflammatory process. METHODS: PCR for the detection of HSV, VZV and CMV genomes was done on 33 and 90 intraocular fluids from viral retinal patients and non-viral controls respectively. ELISA was done on 30 and 100 serum samples from viral retinitis patients and normal healthy controls respectively. RESULTS: PCR did not detect HSV, VZV and CMV genomes except one, in which VZV-DNA was detected. ELISA showed prevalence rates of 28%, 83% and 90% for antibodies against HSV, VZV and CMV respectively in the normal population. In the 30 viral retinitis patients, PCR detected HSV-DNA in 2 (6.7%), VZV-DNA in 7 (23.3%) and CMV-DNA in 6 (20.0%) patients, while ELISA detected antibodies against HSV, VZV and CMV in 13 (43.3%), 24 (80.0%) and 23 (76.7%) patients respectively. ELISA was of value in indirect diagnosis only in 6 (20.0%) as compared to 15 (50.0%) of 30 patients by PCR, this difference was statistically significant (McNemar test, P value = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Serology by ELISA is no longer a useful diagnostic tool to associate HSV, VZV and CMV viruses with viral retinitis.

Síndrome de vasculite retiniana hemorrágica multifocal aguda; relato de um caso / Acute multifocal hemorrhagic retinal vasculitis syndrome; report of one case

Os autores apresentam um caso de paciente com a síndrome de vasculite retiniana hemorrágica multifocal aguda, descrita por Blumenkranz e colaboradores, cuja etiologia permanece desconhecida. No caso apresentado o paciente foi tratado com a prednisona oral com alguns benefícios, com o acyclovir, sem benefício e com a fotocoagulaçäo com laser de argônio nas áreas isquêmicas

Uveítes em AIDS: relato de 2 casos atípicos / Uveítes em AIDS: description of two atypical cases

Relato de 2 casos de pacientes com AIDS e quadro ocular atípico. Os pacientes, respectivamente com retinite por Herpes zoster e toxoplasmose, desenvolveram uveíte com primeira manifestaçäo clínica da AIDS, apresentando lesöes atípicas no pólo posterior e pobre resultado visual

Zoster: revisöes de 67 casos / Zoster: review of six-seven cases

Trinta e cinco pacientes do sexo feminino e 32 do sexo masculino com zoster, na faixa etria de 10-89 anos, predominantemente nas décadas de 60-79, foram observados no Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho - UFRJ no período de 1978-1989. Oito casos foram tratados com aciclovir na dose de 10 mg/Kg/dia/EV por cinco dias: 16 pacientes receberam prednisona na dose de 40 mg/dia/VO durante 15 dias com regressäo lenta, posteriormente; a 43 pacientes näo foi administrada nenhuma das drogas anteriores. Nemhuma complicaçäo terapêutica foi observada. A avaliaçäo estatística dos dados através do teste do Qui-quadrado revelou diferença estatisticamente significativa para o aciclovir que preveniu a nevralgia pós-herpética (p < 0,02). A dificuldade terapéutica desta condiçäo e os dados da literatura a respeito säo discutidos

Herpes zoster oftálmico / Ophtalmic herpes zoster

Os autores fazem revisäo bibliográfica do assunto. Destacam epidemiologia, patogênese, achados clínicos, achados laboratoriais e tratamento instituído na tentativa de curar as alteraçöes causadas por esta patologia, reduzindo assim as complicaçöes que usualmente comprometem a funçäo ocular, ou que causam grande desconforto com a neuralgia pós-herpética