Bilateral neuroretinitis and membranous lupus nephritis: 2 infrequent manifestations in juvenile lupus.

Fifteen-year-old female patient, previously healthy, referred to our center for presenting abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, malar erythema, palpebral and lower limb edema, arthralgia, morning stiffness and bilateral blurred vision. Laboratory and imaging studies together with the clinic allowed the diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus. Ophthalmology examination revealed a visual acuity of 8/10 in both eyes and bilateral disc edema with partial macular star, findings compatible with bilateral neuroretinitis. Renal biopsy established the diagnosis of membranous lupus nephritis. Immunosuppressive treatment was started, obtaining gradual clinical improvement. Although systemic lupus erythematosus with membranous lupus nephritis and neuroretinitis is a very infrequent association, when faced with a patient with bilateral neuroretinitis, we must consider systemic lupus erythematosus within the differential diagnoses.

A 13-Year-Old Girl With Unilateral Visual Changes.

Neuroretinitis is a condition typically characterized by unilateral optic neuropathy and is most commonly a sequelae of cat scratch disease (CSD) due to infection with Bartonella henselae. Ophthalmologic examination will reveal a swollen optic nerve and may eventually reveal a canonical macular star; optical coherence tomography (OCT) will reveal flattening of the fovea, a thickened neurosensory retina, and subretinal fluid accumulation. Although CSD rarely presents with isolated neuorretinitis, it should be considered in patients presenting with unilateral visual changes. The differential diagnosis for neuroretinitis includes optic neuritis, inflammatory optic neuropathies (sarcoid, para-infectious, autoimmune), compressive, toxic, and more. We describe a pediatric patient presenting with visual changes that were initially concerning for optic neuritis and the diagnostic workup that ultimately led to a diagnosis of CSD neuroretinitis.

Multiple Evanescent White Dot Syndrome Associated with Coronavirus Infection: A Case Report.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes ocular manifestations in approximately 11% of patients. Most patients typically develop ocular symptoms within 30 days of the onset of the first COVID-19 symptoms. The most common ocular manifestation is conjunctivitis, which affects nearly 89% of patients with eye problems. Other much less common anterior segment abnormalities caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are scleritis, episcleritis, and acute anterior uveitis. Posterior segment abnormalities caused by SARS-CoV-2 are mainly vascular, such as hemorrhages, cotton wool spots, dilated veins, and vasculitis. Herein, we report a rare manifestation of COVID-19 and multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS) of the retina. In April 2021, a 40-year-old female patient was admitted to the Eye Clinic of Clinical Center of Montenegro (Podgorica, Montenegro). The patient's main complaint was sudden vision impairment, which occurred 14 days after a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result for SARS-CoV-2 infection. A complete eye examination was performed, followed by fundoscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescein angiography (FA) tests. The results showed retinal changes associated with MEWDS. The patient underwent additional examinations to rule out common causes of multifocal retinitis, all of which were unremarkable. Therefore, it was concluded that retinitis was a complication of COVID-19. Given its non-invasive nature, fundus examination should be used as a standard screening method for retinal changes in patients with COVID-19.

Outcomes of cataract surgery in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection in a developing country.

PURPOSE: To report the outcomes of cataract surgery in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. Setting Tertiary care ophthalmic hospital DESIGN: Retrospective study METHODS: This study included all eyes of patients with known HIV infection undergoing cataract surgery with a minimum follow-up of 6 months between January 2017 and December 2020. Patients who underwent combined surgeries and pediatric patients were excluded from analysis. Data were retrieved from electronic medical records and we documented demographics, history, detailed anterior and posterior segment examination, pre-operative grade and type of cataract, type of surgery done, its complication and post-operative course. All these parameters were recorded at the baseline visit and at 1 month and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty nine eyes of 107 HIV infected patients that underwent cataract surgery were evaluated. Mature cataract was seen in 31% of the eyes. Features of HIV related uveitis/retinitis were seen in 21 (16.2%) eyes. Phacoemulsification was performed in 44 (34.1%) eyes while manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS) was done in 85 (65.9%) eyes. Intra-operative complications were encountered in 4 (3.1%) eyes. At the final follow-up, there was a significant improvement in median corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) from LogMAR 1.08 (5/60) at baseline to LogMAR 0 (6/6) at 6 months follow-up. CONCLUSION: Patients with HIV infection usually present early and with advanced cataracts. Visual outcomes after cataract surgery are generally good but affected by presence of prior HIV related uveitis or retinitis.

Bilateral Optic Nerve Head Drusen Complicated by Choroidal Neovascularization Misdiagnosed as Papilledema and Neuroretinitis.

We report a case of bilateral optic nerve head drusen complicated by choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in the left eye at presentation. The presence of optic disc and macular edema in addition to exudation led to the misdiagnosis of neuroretinitis at an outside medical center. Swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and SSOCT angiography were critical in establishing the diagnosis and follow-up in a noninvasive manner. Secondary CNV associated with optic nerve head drusen responded well to intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor in the left eye. Asymptomatic nonexudative CNV that developed in the right eye during follow-up regressed spontaneously without treatment. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2022;53:518-521.].

Enfermedad por arañazo de gato atípica: compromiso ocular y meníngeo por Bartonella henselae / Atypical cat scratch disease: Bartonella henselae ocular and meningeal involvement

Bartonella henselae es el agente etiológico de la enfermedad por arañazo de gato. Típicamente, se presenta como una linfadenopatía regional autolimitada y, con menor frecuencia, con compromiso sistémico y manifestaciones extraganglionares: hígado, bazo, hueso y ojo, entre otros. Se presenta un caso de enfermedad por arañazo de gato atípica en un paciente pediátrico inmunocompetente, en la que se evidenció compromiso meníngeo y ocular, este último como neurorretinitis. Se destaca la importancia de la búsqueda activa de complicaciones oculares en pacientes con compromiso sistémico por Bartonella henselae, que implica un cambio en el tratamiento y pronóstico de la enfermedad

Bartonella henselae is the etiologic agent of cat scratch disease. It typically presents as a self-limited regional lymphadenopathy and less frequently with systemic involvement and extranodal manifestations: liver, spleen, bone, eye, among others. A case of atypical cat scratch disease is presented in an immunocompetent pediatric patient, in which meningeal and ocular involvement was evidenced, the latter manifested as neuroretinitis. The importance of the active search for ocular complications in patients with systemic involvement by Bartonella henselae is highlighted, implying a change in the treatment and prognosis of the disease

[Atypical cat scratch disease: Bartonella henselae ocular and meningeal involvement]. / Enfermedad por arañazo de gato atípica: compromiso ocular y meníngeo por Bartonella henselae.

Bartonella henselae is the etiologic agent of cat scratch disease. It typically presents as a self-limited regional lymphadenopathy and less frequently with systemic involvement and extranodal manifestations: liver, spleen, bone, eye, among others. A case of atypical cat scratch disease is presented in an immunocompetent pediatric patient, in which meningeal and ocular involvement was evidenced, the latter manifested as neuroretinitis. The importance of the active search for ocular complications in patients with systemic involvement by Bartonella henselae is highlighted, implying a change in the treatment and prognosis of the disease.

Bartonella henselae es el agente etiológico de la enfermedad por arañazo de gato. Típicamente, se presenta como una linfadenopatía regional autolimitada y, con menor frecuencia, con compromiso sistémico y manifestaciones extraganglionares: hígado, bazo, hueso y ojo, entre otros. Se presenta un caso de enfermedad por arañazo de gato atípica en un paciente pediátrico inmunocompetente, en la que se evidenció compromiso meníngeo y ocular, este último como neurorretinitis. Se destaca la importancia de la búsqueda activa de complicaciones oculares en pacientes con compromiso sistémico por Bartonella henselae, que implica un cambio en el tratamiento y pronóstico de la enfermedad.

A comparative analysis depicting the disease characteristics and phylogenetic signature of human cytomegalovirus infection in Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 seropositive patients with end-organ retinitis and gastro-enteric diseases.

During advanced HIV infection, Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has been proven to produce devitalizing end-organ diseases (EOD). The interactive co-existence of HIV and HCMV has been reported by many researchers and has been suggested to be linked with a more aggressive disease state. This study has been designed to bring forward an assessment of the clinical risk factors capable of defining the conditions of HCMV induced retinitis and gastro-enteric diseases among HIV1 seropositive patients. We also intended to analyse the phylogenetic variation if any, among the infecting virus types inducing the two separate clinical conditions. The patients were arranged in three different groups; (Group 1 with 26 individuals and group 2 and group 3 with 25 individuals each) based on their current status of HIV and HCMV infections. Serum ELISA, qualitative and quantitative detection of HCMV DNA, Real time mRNA expression study, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis were performed. All statistical analyses and graphs were exercised using relevant software. We found that in HIV patients with HCMV induced end-organ diseases the components of the CXCL9, 10, 11-CXCR3 chemokine pathway is highly expressed with significant differences existing among patients with retinitis and gastrointestinal disease. We found that the gL gene sequences from the retinitis (HR) group clustered almost separately from that of the gastroenteritis (HG) group in the phylogenetic tree. It may be suggested that a form of natural selection pressure is working on the clinical HCMV strains creating a slight divergence in their phylogenetic lineage thereby helping them adapt to the particular tissue microenvironment they are colonizing.

A case of non-necrotising herpetic retinitis.

In developed countries, the main etiology of posterior uveitis is of infectious origin, Herpes is the most common viral agent as it has a wide spectral of ocular manifestations. These manifestations could depend on the patient's immunologic state, ranging from a mild focal form of non-necrotizing herpetic renitis (NNHR) to a severe form of Acute retinal necrosis (ARN). We present a case of NNHR by VHS 2 and the different differential diagnostics previous to its diagnosis: atypical ocular toxoplasmosis, ocular tuberculosis and ARN. During its evolution, it presented a drastic drop in the visual acuity despite of the antiviral treatment, and with systemic corticoids and the injury's clinical improvement. This event led to reevaluate the suspected entities, establishing the NNHR as a definitive diagnostic by exclusion that constituted a challenging diagnostic.

Child Neurology: Bartonella henselae Neuroretinitis in 2 Patients.

Neuroretinitis due to Bartonella henselae infection is a rare cause of vision loss in children. Two pediatric cases of acute unilateral vision loss accompanied by edema of the optic nerve on fundoscopic examination are presented. Severe causes of vision loss were excluded. During the course of the disease, macular stellate exudates emerged on control fundoscopic examinations, and diagnosis of neuroretinitis was made. A causative agent was confirmed by serologic examination, as high titers of IgM and IgG antibodies to Bartonella henselae were detected. Both patients significantly recovered after oral antibiotic treatment.

Cytochrome P450-epoxygenated fatty acids inhibit Müller glial inflammation.

Free fatty acid dysregulation in diabetics may elicit the release of inflammatory cytokines from Müller cells (MC), promoting the onset and progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Palmitic acid (PA) is elevated in the sera of diabetics and stimulates the production of the DR-relevant cytokines by MC, including IL-1ß, which induces the production of itself and other inflammatory cytokines in the retina as well. In this study we propose that experimental elevation of cytochrome P450 epoxygenase (CYP)-derived epoxygenated fatty acids, epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EET) and epoxydocosapentaenoic acid (EDP), will reduce PA- and IL-1ß-induced MC inflammation. Broad-spectrum CYP inhibition by SKF-525a increased MC expression of inflammatory cytokines. Exogenous 11,12-EET and 19,20-EDP significantly decreased PA- and IL-1ß-induced MC expression of IL-1ß and IL-6. Both epoxygenated fatty acids significantly decreased IL-8 expression in IL-1ß-induced MC and TNFα in PA-induced MC. Interestingly, 11,12-EET and 19,20-EDP significantly increased TNFα in IL-1ß-treated MC. GSK2256294, a soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitor, significantly reduced PA- and IL-1ß-stimulated MC cytokine expression. 11,12-EET and 19,20-EDP were also found to decrease PA- and IL-1ß-induced NFκB-dependent transcriptional activity. These data suggest that experimental elevation of 11,12-EET and 19,20-EDP decreases MC inflammation in part by blocking NFκB-dependent transcription and may represent a viable therapeutic strategy for inhibition of early retinal inflammation in DR.

Tuberculosis related Neuroretinitis and Retinal Vasculitis in an Immunocompetent Patient.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to describe the occurrence of bilateral neuroretinitis and retinal vasculitis in an immunocompetent female with disseminated tuberculosis. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 25 year old female diagnosed with disseminated tuberculosis presented with sudden painful loss of vision bilaterally. On examination she was found to have bilateral neuroretinitis and retinal periphlebitis involving the posterior pole. She was prescribed systemic steroids in addition to the anti-tuberculous therapy that she was receiving. The fundus lesions gradually resolved over four months with modest improvement in visual acuity. There were no recurrences in the follow up period of 14 months. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular involvement in the form of neuroretinitis with concomitant retinal vasculitis can occur in patients with disseminated tuberculosis. Addition of systemic steroids to anti-tuberculous therapy leads to anatomical resolution with improvement in visual acuity.

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.

[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.