Review

Authors: Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos, Hercules Sakkas, Bashar Mohammed...

PURPOSE

This review aims to summarize the current knowledge concerning the clinical features, diagnostic work-up and therapeutic approach of ocular toxoplasmosis focusing mainly on the postnatally acquired form of the disease.

METHODS

A meticulous literature search was performed in the PubMed database. A supplementary search was made in Google Scholar to complete the collected items.

RESULTS

Ocular toxoplasmosis is one of the most frequent infectious etiologies of posterior uveitis. It typically presents with retinochoroiditis. Setting an accurate diagnosis depends to a considerable degree on detecting characteristic clinical characteristics. In addition to the evaluation of clinical features, the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis relies at a large degree on serologic testing. The detection of the parasite DNA in the aqueous or vitreous humor can provide evidence for a definitive diagnosis. The current mainstay for the treatment, if necessary, is the use of oral antibiotic with systemic corticosteroids. Recent evidence suggests other therapeutic approaches, such as intravitreal antibiotics can be used.

CONCLUSION

Recent developments in the diagnostic and therapeutic approach have contributed to preventing or limiting vision loss of patients suffering from ocular toxoplasmosis. Further studies are required to provide a better understanding of epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment with a significant impact on the management of this challenging clinical entity.

Topics: Chorioretinitis; Eye; Humans; Toxoplasma; Toxoplasmosis, Ocular; Uveitis, Posterior

PubMed: 34370174
DOI: 10.1007/s10792-021-01994-9

Authors: Grace L Tsan, Richard T Claiborne

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted, systemic, inflammatory disease caused by the spirochaete, . The natural history of untreated syphilis progresses through four distinct stages: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary syphilis. Ocular involvement can occur at any stage of syphilis and any part of the eye can be affected. With the exception of syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis, the diverse manifestations of ocular syphilis have few distinct features that can be used to assist in clinical diagnosis. Therefore, ocular syphilis should always be a part of the differential diagnosis of most, if not all, ocular infectious and inflammatory presentations. Specifically, uveitis presentations, high-risk sexual history, illicit drug use history, treatment failure, prior history of syphilis should prompt further diagnostic workup for ocular syphilis. A presumptive diagnosis of ocular syphilis relies on serological testing, both treponemal and nontreponemal tests. All patients with ocular syphilis should have their cerebrospinal fluids tested for the co-existence of neurosyphilis and their blood tested for human immunodeficiency virus co-infection. In the United States, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that ocular syphilis be managed according to its treatment guidelines for neurosyphilis, with parenteral aqueous crystalline penicillin G the drug of choice. With the timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment, ocular syphilis is curable. However, delayed diagnosis of ocular syphilis may result in long-term visual impairment. Delayed diagnosis occurs because of its diverse presentations mimicking other ocular diseases, and failure of the clinician to order serological testing. With the recent worldwide resurgence of ocular syphilis, clinicians should be familiar with the manifestation, diagnosis, and treatment of ocular syphilis.

Topics: Chorioretinitis; Endophthalmitis; Eye Infections, Bacterial; Humans; Syphilis

PubMed: 33831337
DOI: 10.1080/08164622.2021.1906848

Review

Authors: Joanne H Lee, Aniruddha Agarwal, Padmamalini Mahendradas...

The causes of posterior uveitis can be divided into infectious, autoimmune, or masquerade syndromes. Viral infections, a significant cause of sight-threatening ocular diseases in the posterior segment, include human herpesviruses, measles, rubella, and arboviruses such as dengue, West Nile, and chikungunya virus. Viral posterior uveitis may occur as an isolated ocular disease in congenital or acquired infections or as part of a systemic viral illness. Many viruses remain latent in the infected host with a risk of reactivation that depends on various factors, including virulence and host immunity, age, and comorbidities. Although some viral illnesses are self-limiting and have a good visual prognosis, others, such as cytomegalovirus retinitis or acute retinal necrosis, may result in serious complications and profound vision loss. Since some of these infections may respond well to antiviral therapy, it is important to work up all cases of posterior uveitis to rule out an infectious etiology. We review the clinical features, diagnostic tools, treatment regimens, and long-term outcomes for each of these viral posterior uveitides.

Topics: Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; Eye Infections, Viral; Global Health; Humans; Morbidity; Uveitis, Posterior

PubMed: 28012878
DOI: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2016.12.008

Review

Authors: Manuel Paez-Escamilla, Sonny Caplash, Gagan Kalra...

PURPOSE

Posterior uveitis is a common chorioretinal pathology affecting all ages worldwide and is a frequent reason for referral to the retina clinic. The spectrum of etiologies for uveitis is very broad and includes infectious and auto-immune diseases. Inflammation can be confined to the eye or may be a part of systemic disease. A useful outline is therefore proposed to aid in the correct diagnosis of these challenging entities. The situation is further complicated by the fact that many neoplastic conditions resemble features of posterior uveitis; they are known as "masqueraders of uveitis". Here, we summarize different posterior uveitides that present with rare findings, along with masqueraders that can be difficult to distinguish. These conditions pose a diagnostic dilemma resulting in delay in treatment because of diagnostic uncertainty.

METHODS

An extensive literature search was performed on the MEDLINE/PUBMED, EBSCO and Cochrane CENTRAL databases from January 1985 to January 2022 for original studies and reviews of predetermined diagnoses that include posterior uveitic entities, panuveitis and masquerade syndromes.

RESULTS

We described conditions that can present as mimickers of posterior uveitis (i.e., immune check-points inhibitors and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada-like uveitis; leukemia and lymphoma associated posterior uveitis), inflammatory conditions that present as mimickers of retinal diseases (i.e., Purtscher-like retinopathy as a presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus; central serous chorioretinopathy masquerading inflammatory exudative retinal detachment), and uveitic conditions with rare and diagnostically challenging etiologies (i.e., paradoxical inflammatory effects of anti-TNF-α; post vaccination uveitis; ocular inflammation after intravitreal injection of antiangiogenic drugs).

CONCLUSION

This review of unique posterior uveitis cases highlights the overlapping features of posterior uveitis (paradoxical inflammatory effects of anti -TNF α and uveitis; Purtscher-like retinopathy as a presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus, …) and the nature of retinal conditions (ischemic ocular syndrome, or central retinal vein occlusion, amyloidosis, inherited conditions like retinitis pigmentosa, autosomal dominant neovascular inflammatory vitreoretinopathy (ADNIV), etc.…) that may mimic them is represented. Careful review of past uveitis history, current medications and recent vaccinations, detailed examination of signs of past or present inflammation, eventually genetic testing and/ or multimodal retinal imaging (like fluorescein angiography, EDI-OCT, OCT-angiography for lupus Purtscher-like retinopathy evaluation, or ICG for central serous retinopathy, or retinal amyloid angiopathy) may aid in correct diagnosis.

PubMed: 37589912
DOI: 10.1186/s12348-023-00342-5

Review

Authors: A Sauer, M Schaeffer, Y Serrar...

Ocular toxoplasmosis is the most common cause of posterior uveitis worldwide, with an estimated incidence of 8.4%. It follows infection by the ubiquitous parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The diagnosis is based on clinical examination looking for uveitis and most often retinochoroiditis. Microbiological confirmation is an element of positive diagnosis. The indications for treatment remain debated, whether for acute forms or recurrences.

Topics: Toxoplasmosis, Ocular; Humans; Toxoplasma; Chorioretinitis

PubMed: 39490112
DOI: 10.1016/j.jfo.2024.104334

Review

Authors: Clovis Arcoverde Freitas-Neto, Sutasinee Boonsopon, Swetha Dhanireddy...

Birdshot retinochoroidopathy (BSRC) is a distinct type of posterior uveitis originally described in the 1940s. Its characteristics include minimal anterior segment inflammation and diffuse posterior choroidopathy with vitritis and retinal vasculitis. The precise etiology of this disease is yet to be elucidated. However, various treatment modalities have been employed with the ultimate goal of durable remission of this vision threatening intraocular disease. The purpose of this review is not only to emphasize the importance of recognizing BSRC, but also to discuss the new discoveries, immune mediators, current and new therapies, and techniques applied to monitor and accomplish disease remission.

Topics: Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Chorioretinitis; Choroid Diseases; Diagnosis, Differential; Drug Therapy, Combination; Electroretinography; Fluorescein Angiography; HLA-A Antigens; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents; Remission Induction; Retinal Diseases

PubMed: 25714542
DOI: 10.5935/0004-2749.20150016

Authors: Ramesh Venkatesh, Prachi Gurav, Prachi Abhishek Dave...

We describe a case of a 65-year old man diagnosed with retinal vasoproliferative tumour secondary to posterior uveitis. The fluorescein angiography shows an interesting meteor-like leak emanating from the tumour and rising towards the superior retina in the later frames of the angiogram. Pictorially, we call it the "Retinal Meteor" and also describe the possible mechanism for this pattern of leakage.

Topics: Aged; Diagnosis, Differential; Fluorescein Angiography; Fundus Oculi; Humans; Male; Retinal Neoplasms; Retinal Vessels; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Uveitis, Posterior

PubMed: 28905838
DOI: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_68_17