Necrotizing retinitis in a patient with syphilis: A case report.

RATIONALE: Ocular syphilis varies widely in presentation and should be considered in all patients with posterior uveitis. Necrotizing retinitis is a rare manifestation of ocular syphilis and mimics ARN. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report a male patient who presented with bilateral dense vitritis obscuring fundus details similar to ARN, as a rare reported manifestation of syphilis, who was initially given intravitreal ganciclovir. DIAGNOSIS: After the results for herpes viral PCR disclosed negative, the diagnosis of syphilitic necrotizing retinitis was made based on positive RPR. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOMES: With the clinical diagnosis of ocular syphilis, treatment with intravenous penicillin was promptly initiated. His visual acuity improved to 20/100 in the right eye and still light perception in the left. Pars plana vitrectomy with silicon oil tamponade was performed in his left eye. LESSONS: Ocular syphilis varies widely in presentation and should be considered in all patients with posterior uveitis. However, whenever ARN is clinically suspected, empiric treatment against herpetic viruses should be promptly administered while awaiting further infectious disease study results. Recognition of syphilitic retinitis and prompt initiation of intravenous penicillin is of critical important for clinicians.

Post COVID-19 opportunistic candida retinitis: A case report.

A 42-year-old male patient presented with profound impairment of vision in both eyes, just as he was recovering from COVID-19. A known diabetic and hypertensive, he suffered from COVID-19 pneumonia further complicated by ARDS, septicaemia and acute kidney injury. His vision on presentation was finger counting close to face bilaterally with multiple, yellowish lesions at the posterior pole. Based on the clinical findings and previous blood culture report, it was diagnosed as candida retinitis and treated with oral and intravitreal anti-fungals. The lesions were regressing at follow-up. This is a post COVID-19 presumed candida retinitis case report.

Case Report: Endogenous Candida Endophthalmitis in Cornelia de Lange Syndrome: Atypical Stellate Neuroretinitis.

SIGNIFICANCE: This study aimed to highlight the association of stellate neuroretinitis occurring secondary to endogenous candidemia. PURPOSE: We report an unusual presentation of endogenous Candida endophthalmitis as a stellate neuroretinitis in the setting of Cornelia de Lange syndrome. CASE REPORT: A 34-month-old girl with severe Cornelia de Lange syndrome and a history of parenteral nutrition dependence requiring a chronic central venous catheter presented with bilateral endophthalmitis secondary to candidemia. In one eye, the endophthalmitis had the atypical presentation as a stellate neuroretinitis. CONCLUSIONS: This case represents a unique association of stellate neuroretinitis secondary to Candida infection in a patient with Cornelia de Lange syndrome.

Miliary Retinal Lesions in Ocular Syphilis: Imaging Characteristics and Outcomes.

Purpose: To describe full thickness miliary retinal lesions in ocular syphilis.Methods: Retrospective chart review of patients with serologically confirmed ocular syphilis. Retinal miliary lesions in three cases of Syphilitic uveitis, in immunocompetent individuals are described. Case 1 and case 2 were positive for both VDRL (venereal disease research laboratory) and TPHA (Treponema pallidum hemagglutination), case 3 was VDRL negative but TPHA positive.Results: Miliary lesions were small round to oval, yellow retinal lesions, measuring less than » disc diameter size, with distinct margins, involving complete thickness of retina on OCT, in a pillar like manner, associated with ground glass retinitis, outer retinal placoid lesion or with retinal vasculitis. In cases 1 and 3, these healed with pigmentation.Conclusion: In contrast to similar lesions described, retinal miliary lesions seem to involve full thickness of the retina on OCT and may heal with pigmentation. These lesions may be characteristic of ocular syphilis.

PRESUMED TUBERCULOUS MULTIFOCAL RETINITIS IN PATIENTS UNDER TREATMENT WITH BIOLOGIC AGENTS.

PURPOSE: To report unique retinal fundus lesions and treatment outcomes of intraocular tuberculosis in patients under anti-tumor necrosis factor treatment. METHODS: Retrospective review of two patients with laboratorial evidence of tuberculosis who had bilateral ocular signs and symptoms not attributable to other diseases. Multimodal imaging was analyzed at the time of presentation and after the treatment initiation. The study patients underwent standard treatment for tuberculosis. RESULTS: Clinical and laboratory findings were consistent with the diagnosis of presumed tuberculosis. Color fundus photograph revealed the presence of multifocal yellowish retinal spots in the study eyes. On fluorescein angiography, the retinal lesions seen on color fundus photograph showed early hypofluorescence with progressive staining of its edges. Occlusive vasculitis with peripheral nonperfusion was also observed in both cases. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography demonstrated increased reflectivity and thickness on the topography of retinitis lesions. After specific antibiotic treatment for tuberculosis, there was complete disappearance of the retinal lesions in all study eyes. CONCLUSION: We report two unique cases of bilateral presumed intraocular tuberculosis presenting as multifocal retinitis in patients under biologic agent treatment. Anti-tumor necrosis factor agents may be related to unusual fundus manifestations of tuberculosis.

Effects of intraocular treatments for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) retinitis: A case report.

RATIONALE: Intraocular infection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may cause severe visual loss. However, it is relatively rare, and there is no consensus on its treatment. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 44-year-old woman complained of a right-eye floater and exhibited a unilateral exudative change along the retinal veins at the Department of Ophthalmology, St. Luke's International Hospital. DIAGNOSIS: EBV retinitis was diagnosed based on EBV-positive (9.09 × 103 copies/µl) and cytomegalovirus-negative results in the aqueous humor. INTERVENTIONS: Oral prescription of valaciclovir hydrochloride, and an intravitreal injection of foscarnet sodium hydrate was administered. However, the retinal infiltration progressed, and vitreous opacity with cellular infiltration appeared. Intravitreal methotrexate (MTX) injection effectively suppressed retinal and vitreous infiltration. However, she developed optic-nerve papillitis, and central retinal vein occlusion related to the severe swelling of the optic-nerve, and began steroid pulse therapy. Considering the increase in intraocular EBV levels to 6.4 × 104 copies/ml, we restarted intravitreal foscarnet injections replacing MTX. This in turn rapidly reduced the EBV levels to 3.27 × 104 copies/ml, followed by papillitis alleviation. OUTCOMES: The intraocular MTX administration reduced the inflammatory vitreous and retinal infiltration, but not the EBV load, while foscarnet reduced the EBV load and papillitis, but not vitreous infiltration. LESSONS: The retinal infiltration may have involved EBV infection to the retinal neurons but also EBV-free reactive inflammatory cells. EBV infection to the neurons may have been, at least partially, treated by intravitreal foscarnet treatment, and the reactive inflammatory cells by intravitreal MTX. Further observations are warranted to reach a consensus on treating intraocular EBV infection.

Mycobiome changes in the vitreous of post fever retinitis patients.

Fungi have been associated with various diseases of the eye like keratitis, uveitis and endophthalmitis. Despite this fact, fungal microbiome (mycobiome) studies compared to the bacterial microbiome studies have remained neglected. In the present study, using metagenomic sequencing, the mycobiomes of the vitreous of healthy control individuals (VC, n = 15) and individuals with post fever retinitis + non-PFR uveitis (PFR+, n = 9) were analysed and compared. The results indicated that Ascomycota was the most predominant phylum in both VC and PFR+ groups. Further, at the genera level it was observed that the abundance of 17 fungal genera were significantly different in post fever retinitis (PFR, n = 6) group compared to control group. Of these 17 genera, it was observed that 14 genera were relatively more abundant in PFR group and the remaining 3 genera in the VC group. Genus Saccharomyces, a commensal of the gut and skin, was predominantly present in the vitreous of both the cohorts, however it was significantly less abundant in PFR group. Further, significant increase in the genera that have a pathogenic interaction with the host were observed in PFR group. On the whole the mycobiome in both the groups differed significantly and formed two distinct clusters in the heatmap and Principal co-ordinate analysis. These results demonstrate significant changes in the mycobiome from the vitreous of post fever retinitis patients compared to healthy controls thus implying that dysbiotic changes in the fungal vitreous microbiome are associated with PFR.

A case of Bartonella neuroretinitis with macular star diagnosed by clinical, epidemiological, serological, and molecular data: resolution after initiation of antimicrobial therapy.

The differential diagnosis of optic neuritis is broad and varied. We report the case of a 24-year-old Brazilian man who presented with five-week history of fever, malaise, myalgia, severe fatigue, tender right preauricular lymphadenopathy, and acute vision blurring associated with right optic disc swelling and exudates in a macular star pattern. His illness developed soon after an infestation of fleas broke out among his cats. Diagnosis of ocular bartonellosis was confirmed by serological and molecular analyses targeting amplification of Bartonella spp. htrA gene. Signs and symptoms only improved after initiation of antimicrobial therapy.

[Bartonella endocarditis associated with glomerulonephritis and neuroretinitis]. / Endocarditis por Bartonella asociada a glomerulonefritis y neurorretinitis.

Blood-culture negative endocarditis is a diagnostic challenge. Both Bartonella and Coxiella can cause it with similar clinical presentations mimicking a systemic vasculitis. The identification of the etiologic agent is essential because they differ in treatment type and duration. We present a case of blood-culture negative endocarditis caused by Bartonella henselae, associated with glomerulonephritis and neuroretinitis, with negative blood culture, positive anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic and antiproteinase 3 antibodies. The serology was positive for Bartonella with crossreactivity to Coxiella burnetti. The etiological diagnosis was achieved by polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of a ribC gene fragment. The patient received antibiotic and immunosuppressive treatment followed by replacement of the aortic valve with favorable medium-term evolution.

La endocarditis bacteriana con hemocultivo negativo constituye un dilema diagnóstico. Tanto Bartonella como Coxiella pueden causarla, con presentaciones clínicas similares que pueden simular una vasculitis sistémica no infecciosa. Sin embargo, difieren en el tipo y la duración del tratamiento, por lo que es fundamental identificar el agente etiológico. Presentamos un caso de endocarditis por Bartonella henselae asociada a glomerulonefritis y neurorretinitis, con hemocultivo negativo, anticuerpos anticitoplasma de neutrófilos y antiproteinasa 3 positivos, y serología positiva para Bartonella con reacción cruzada para Coxiella burnetti. El diagnóstico etiológico fue confirmado a posteriori mediante amplificación y secuenciación parcial del gen ribC a partir de tejido de la válvula cardíaca. El paciente recibió tratamiento antibiótico e inmunosupresor seguido de recambio valvular aórtico y presentó evolución favorable.

Endocarditis por bartonella asociada a glomerulonefritis y neurorretinitis / Bartonella endocarditis associated with glomerulonephritis and neuroretinitis

La endocarditis bacteriana con hemocultivo negativo constituye un dilema diagnóstico. Tanto Bartonella como Coxiella pueden causarla, con presentaciones clínicas similares que pueden simular una vasculitis sistémica no infecciosa. Sin embargo, difieren en el tipo y la duración del tratamiento, por lo que es fundamental identificar el agente etiológico. Presentamos un caso de endocarditis por Bartonella henselae asociada a glomerulonefritis y neurorretinitis, con hemocultivo negativo, anticuerpos anticitoplasma de neutrófilos y antiproteinasa 3 positivos, y serología positiva para Bartonella con reacción cruzada para Coxiella burnetti. El diagnóstico etiológico fue confirmado a posteriori mediante amplificación y secuenciación parcial del gen ribC a partir de tejido de la válvula cardíaca. El paciente recibió tratamiento antibiótico e inmunosupresor seguido de recambio valvular aórtico y presentó evolución favorable.

Blood-culture negative endocarditis is a diagnostic challenge. Both Bartonella and Coxiella can cause it with similar clinical presentations mimicking a systemic vasculitis. The identification of the etiologic agent is essential because they differ in treatment type and duration. We present a case of blood-culture negative endocarditis caused by Bartonella henselae, associated with glomerulonephritis and neuroretinitis, with negative blood culture, positive anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic and antiproteinase 3 antibodies. The serology was positive for Bartonella with cross-reactivity to Coxiella burnetti. The etiological diagnosis was achieved by polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of a ribC gene fragment. The patient received antibiotic and immunosuppressive treatment followed by replacement of the aortic valve with favorable medium-term evolution.

Bartonella henselae Neuroretinitis: A Rare Coinfection in POEMS Syndrome.

Bartonella henselae is a recognized cause of neuroretinitis in cat scratch disease. Meanwhile, polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, skin changes (POEMS) syndrome with Castleman disease (evidence of lymph node hyperplasia), is a chronic debilitating condition that predisposes to various superimposed infections. B. henselae neuroretinitis implicated in POEMS syndrome has not been reported previously. A 34-year-old asymptomatic man was referred for an eye assessment. Examination showed visual acuity of 6/18 in the right eye and 6/24 in the left eye. On fundus examination, both eyes exhibited typical features of neuroretinitis (optic disc swelling and incomplete macular star). There was otherwise no vitritis or chorioretinitis. Serology for B. henselae revealed high immunoglobulin M (IgM) titer (1:96) indicative of acute disease, and positive immunoglobulin G (IgG) (1:156). He was treated with oral azithromycin for 6 weeks and a short course of oral prednisolone. Subsequently, the visual acuity in both eyes improved with resolution of macular star. However, both optic discs remained swollen.

A case of Bartonella neuroretinitis with macular star diagnosed by clinical, epidemiological, serological, and molecular data: resolution after initiation of antimicrobial therapy

Abstract The differential diagnosis of optic neuritis is broad and varied. We report the case of a 24-year-old Brazilian man who presented with five-week history of fever, malaise, myalgia, severe fatigue, tender right preauricular lymphadenopathy, and acute vision blurring associated with right optic disc swelling and exudates in a macular star pattern. His illness developed soon after an infestation of fleas broke out among his cats. Diagnosis of ocular bartonellosis was confirmed by serological and molecular analyses targeting amplification of Bartonella spp. htrA gene. Signs and symptoms only improved after initiation of antimicrobial therapy.

Bartonella presenting as branch retinal artery occlusion in a child.

Branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) is rare in children. Bartonella is a known cause of branch retinal artery occlusion in adults, but it is typically not considered in the differential diagnosis for pediatric BRAO. We present the case of a 12-year old boy with a BRAO caused by a Bartonella henselae infection. This is the youngest such case reported in the literature. Although rare, Bartonella infection may be an important and underrecognized cause of pediatric BRAO.