Seasonal Hyperacute Panuveitis (SHAPU) Outbreak Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: To document the demographic profile of the SHAPU outbreak amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A multicentric cross-sectional study of the 2021 SHAPU outbreak during the second phase of the COVID-19 outbreak. RESULTS: A total of 135 patients were diagnosed with SHAPU from August to December 2021, 77 (57%) were children <16 years, males 54.8% and 34.8% had direct physical contact with white moths and 41.5% had severe type of SHAPU. Dramatic increment in the moth abundance was noted in these outbreak sites. Few cases presented with atypical ocular findings, unlike past outbreaks. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with restrictions on travel and transportation, timely management was difficult and good visual outcome was achieved only in mild-moderate cases with an early presentation. CONCLUSION: The surge in the number of SHAPU patients, its occurrence in areas previously unreported, and some atypical presentation added raised suspicion of a possible link between COVID-19 and SHAPU.

Increase in SHAPU patients, incidence in unreported areas of Nepal, atypical ocular presentations and shift in disease affection from children towards adults population have raised doubt between connections between SHAPU, white moths and COVID pandemic.

Classification of Seasonal Hyperacute Panuveitis (SHAPU).

INTRODUCTION: Classification are essential part of scientific methodology and has important role in medical reporting system. Even after having 46 years long history, Seasonal Hyperacute Panuveitis (SHAPU), the blinding diseases reported mainly from Nepal lacks a standard classification system. Thus, we aim to contribute in the ophthalmic nosology by purposing a classification system for SHAPU. METHODOLOGY: The classification is suggested on the background of prolonged experience of this entity by the group of investigators who have dedicated years of research on this topic. CONCLUSION: We are optimistic that the proposed classification system will help in effective planning and evaluation of this ocular emergency condition and deliver the appropriate and reliable information for timely management and prevention of complications.

Challenges of Pediatric Cataract Surgery in a Case of Seasonal Hyperacute Panuveitis (SHAPU).

A four-year-old female child diagnosed as a case of severe Seasonal Hyperacute Panuveitis (SHAPU) underwent lens-sparing core vitrectomy in her left eye with intravitreal antibiotic and steroid. Patient responded well to treatment and intraocular inflammation subsided. However, three months later, she developed vision impairing dense cataract which also made posterior segment assessment difficult. Lens aspiration with primary posterior capsulotomy and anterior vitrectomy with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation was performed. However, four weeks later, the patient developed occlusio pupillae with iris bombe. She did not respond to medical management so synechiolysis with surgical iridectomy was performed after which a normal depth anterior chamber was attained. Synechia and iris bombe were also relieved, and vision was regained.

Sporadic summer outbreak of SHAPU in even years: Does the pattern match with the usual autumn outbreak?

PURPOSE: Seasonal Hyperacute Panuveitis (SHAPU), is a mysterious blinding disease seen only in Nepal with a higher prevalence among children usually seen in autumn every alternate odd year since 1975. This report highlights the sporadic summer outbreak in the even years with atypical presentation. OBSERVATIONS: Three patients were diagnosed as SHAPU in the summer (May) of 2020. All of them noted the presence of white moths (Gazalina species) in their environment with or without direct physical contact. The clinical patterns were severe in nature including corneal melting. Two out of three patients (66.6%) developed phthisis bulbi and lost their vision. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: White moth has been associated as a risk factor for SHAPU. Despite the known natural history of appearance after monsoon of every odd year, the few unhatched eggs of the moths may hatch under the favorable circumstances in the summer of the even years and may lead to the sporadic outbreak of SHAPU. Though less in numbers, the clinical presentation of such sporadic SHAPU cases may be atypical with less favorable outcome.

The Risk Factors of Seasonal Hyperacute Panuveitis.

BACKGROUND: Seasonal Hyperacute Panuveitis (SHAPU) is an eye disease of unclear aetiology occurring cyclically during the autumn in odd years in Nepal causing blindness within a week. This study is the first of its type to investigate the risk factors of SHAPU. METHODS: A multicentric national level case-control study was performed during the 2017 SHAPU outbreak. Cases were matched to controls in a 1:3 ratio based on age, sex and geographic area.Questionnaire-based personal interview was used and risk factors were categorized as biological and behavioral. For univariate analysis, frequency, median and interquartile range was calculated. Chi-squared test with/without continuity correction and Fisher's exact test were used. Multivariate conditional logistic regressions were used for all the independent variables for p <0.1 in the univariate analyses. RESULTS: We identified 35 cases and 105 controls; 71.4% were children≤16 years (38-day infant to 50-year-old). All were immunocompetent individuals, males were 57.1% and females 42.9%. Potential risks such as visible moths/butterfly activity, contact with livestock, and attending mass gatherings of people were not reported more frequently in cases vs controls in univariate analyses. Differences in possibly protective factors such as self-reported mosquito net use, light off at night while sleeping, and habit of hands/face washing after physical contact/touch with any insects/butterflies/birds were not statistically significant between both groups. In multivariate model, SHAPU cases were significantly more likely than controls to report physical contact with butterflies/white moths (Adjusted OR:6.89; CI:2.79-17.01,p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Direct physical contact with butterflies/moths was associated with significantly increased odds of SHAPU cases.