1/12. HSV-1--induced acute retinal necrosis syndrome presenting with severe inflammatory orbitopathy, proptosis, and optic nerve involvement.OBJECTIVE: To present a unique case in which orbital inflammation, proptosis, and optic neuritis were the initial symptoms of acute retinal necrosis (ARN). The clinical presentation of ARN, as well as the currently recommended diagnostic procedures and guidelines for medical treatment of ARN, are summarized. DESIGN: Interventional case report. TESTING: polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques were made on the vitreous for cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella zoster virus, and toxoplasmosis. A full laboratory evaluation was made together with HLA-typing and serologic tests measuring convalescent titers for HSV and other micro-organisms. magnetic resonance imaging scan, computed tomography (CT) scan, and fluorescein angiographic examination were performed. The patient was treated with acyclovir and oral prednisone. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The patient was evaluated for initial and final visual acuity and for degree of proptosis, periocular edema, and vitreitis. RESULTS: The first symptoms and signs of ARN were eye pain, headache, proptosis, and a swollen optic nerve on CT scan. Other than increased c-reactive protein, all blood samples were normal. PCR was positive for HSV-type I in two separate vitreous biopsies. The patient had the strongly ARN-related specificity HLA-DQ7. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of HSV-induced ARN presenting with inflammatory orbitopathy and optic neuritis. polymerase chain reaction for HSV-1 was positive more than 4 weeks after debut of symptoms, which is a new finding. The combination of severe vitreitis and retinal whitening, with or without proptosis, should alert the clinician to the possibility of herpes infection and treatment with intravenous acyclovir started promptly.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = varicella (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/12. Aseptic meningitis and optic neuritis preceding varicella-zoster progressive outer retinal necrosis in a patient with AIDS.Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) is the second most common ocular pathogen in patients with hiv infection. VZV retinitis is estimated to occur in 0.6% of patients with hiv infection and may occur in one of two clinical syndromes. The first is the acute retinal necrosis syndrome, which also may be seen in immunocompetent hosts. The second clinical syndrome occurs in patients with CD4 cell counts typically < 50 x 10(6)/l and is termed progressive outer retinal necrosis. VZV retinitis has been reported to occur simultaneously with other VZV central nervous system manifestations such as encephalitis and myelitis in hiv-infected patients. In addition, VZV retrobulbar optic neuritis heralding VZV retinitis has recently been described in hiv-infected patients who had suffered a recent episode of dermatomal herpes zoster. Herein we report the case of an hiv-infected individual who presented with VZV meningitis and retrobulbar optic neuritis that preceded the onset of progressive outer retinal necrosis. We also review of the literature of seven additional reported cases of retrobulbar optic neuritis preceding the onset of VZV retinitis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4keywords = varicella (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/12. Progressive outer retinal necrosis in immunocompetent patients treated initially for optic neuropathy with systemic corticosteroids.PURPOSE: To report two cases of progressive outer retinal necrosis occurring in immunocompetent individuals after treatment with corticosteroids for presumed optic neuropathy. DESIGN: Observational case report. SETTING: University-based tertiary eye hospital. methods: Retrospective review of existing clinical records. RESULTS: Two patients were treated empirically with systemic corticosteroids for suspected inflammatory papillopathy. Subsequently, both were diagnosed with necrotizing herpetic retinitis with features of progressive outer retinal necrosis. anterior chamber paracentesis confirmed varicella-zoster infection. Both patients were human immunodeficiency virus negative; one patient with rheumatoid arthritis was taking etanercept. Both became completely blind in one eye despite intensive treatment with antiviral medication intravenously and intravitreally. CONCLUSIONS: Progressive outer retinal necrosis is not confined to patients with underlying severe immunodeficiency, such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Initial treatment of acute, unexplained vision loss with systemic corticosteroids may lead to catastrophic visual loss in patients with evolving necrotizing herpetic retinopathy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = varicella (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/12. Relapsing-remitting, corticosteroid-sensitive, varicella zoster virus optic neuritis.We report a 13-year-old male who presented with bilateral disc edema after a febrile illness. Rapid loss of vision prompted corticosteroids treatment, which reversed the visual loss and optic disc findings. Both his visual function and disc edema proved exceedingly sensitive to steroids, and he required increasingly slow and prolonged corticosteroids taper to avoid relapse over a period of 1 year. Ultimately, profound visual loss was reversed three times and only after exceptionally slow steroid weaning. Comprehensive systemic investigations and neuroimaging were initially unrevealing. Late in the course of disease, evidence of seroconversion was identified in his serum and cerebrospinal fluid with positive varicella zoster virus antibodies titers. Varicella zoster virus-related optic nerve pathology may present clinically with profound visual loss and disc edema and may reverse only with high-dose corticosteroids treatment. physicians should carefully consider retesting with late varicella zoster virus titer in patients with relapsing-remitting, steroid-sensitive optic neuritides.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 6keywords = varicella (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/12. Unilateral retrobulbar optic neuritis due to varicella zoster virus in a patient with AIDS: a case report and review of the literature.Unilateral retrobulbar optic neuritis developed in a 43-year-old man with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). This was secondary to varicella zoster virus (VZV) as confirmed by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of VZV in the cerebrospinal fluid. There was no typical cutaneous infection and no evidence of retinitis. The onset of unexplained visual loss due to optic neuritis in hiv positive individuals may be due to VZV infection. Prompt recognition, and early intervention with antiVZV therapy may preserve vision. Retrobulbar optic neuritis secondary to VZV infection should be considered in immunocompromised patients even in the absence of cutaneous or retinal lesions. Previous cases are reviewed and the varied nature of viral transport in the nervous system is noted.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 5keywords = varicella (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/12. Isolated bilateral anterior optic neuritis following chickenpox in an immunocompetent adult.chickenpox may lead to several different neurological complications, but optic neuritis has rarely been described; in particular, only one case of isolated bilateral anterior optic neuritis (AON) in an immune-competent adult has so far been reported. We describe a second case of this type and consider similarities and differences between our patient and all other cases of AON following chickenpox. Then, we discuss the therapeutic role of steroids and advance the hypothesis of different pathogenetic pathways in immune-competent and immune-compromised subjects.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 84.991528583915keywords = chickenpox (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/12. The spectrum of optic nerve disease in human immunodeficiency virus infection.We studied four patients with hiv-associated optic neuropathies. One had syphilitic optic perineuritis, which responded promptly and completely to penicillin therapy. The second had cytomegalovirus papillitis and visual acuity subsequently deteriorated to no light perception. The third showed varicella zoster optic neuritis, which improved after intravenous acyclovir treatment. The fourth patient developed cryptococcal retrobulbar neuritis and died shortly thereafter. Optic neuropathy was among the initial symptoms of hiv infection in two of the four cases.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = varicella (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/12. Varicella optic neuritis.A 14-year-old girl developed severe bilateral optic neuritis 1 week after the onset of chickenpox. Though previous case reports state that complete recovery is the rule, this child had a persistent decrease in visual acuity in the right eye and loss of color vision and defects in visual fields in both eyes.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 16.998305716783keywords = chickenpox (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/12. Parainfectious optic neuritis. Report and review following varicella.Severe loss of vision and bilateral optic disc edema occurred in a 10-year-old girl 38 days after the rash of varicella first appeared and subsequent encephalitis developed. Recovery of visual function was nearly complete, but optic atrophy persisted. Parainfectious optic neuritis following other viral infections, with the exception of herpes zoster, has a similar clinical profile: delayed onset, severe visual loss, optic disc edema, bilaterality, good recovery, and residual optic atrophy. Conduction delays in our patient's patterned visual evoked potentials implicated demyelination within the optic nerves. The often favorable recovery, frequency of delayed onset, and bilateral involvement of the optic nerves support an autoimmune process in the pathogenesis of parainfectious optic neuritis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 5keywords = varicella (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/12. Bilateral retrobulbar neuritis following unilateral herpes zoster ophthalmicus.A 48-year-old male diagnosed with right-onset herpes zoster ophthalmicus developed visual acuity loss in the left eye during the following 3 weeks. Visually evoked cortical potential recordings revealed a marked increase in P100 latency and a marked decrease in its amplitude in both eyes. Pattern electroretinography suggested diffuse pathology with reduced positive and negative components. A possible transsynaptic or intraneural spread of the varicella-zoster virus in the optic nerve might be responsible for this unexplained contralateral loss of visual acuity.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = varicella (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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