Enhanced systematic delivery of fluconazole-loaded biotin-glutathione functionalized chitosan-g-proline carrier into the infected retinitis treatment.

BACKGROUND: The polymer-based facile and effective drug carrier approach was developed to treat superficial fungal infected retinopathy infections. METHODS: Here, biotin-glutathione (B-GHS) functionalized with chitosan grafted proline (CS-g-P) moieties were fabricated with the loading of fluconazole (FLZ) for the treatment of retinopathy. FT-IR and XRD techniques were used to characterize chemical structural and phase changes of the prepared carriers The SEM results show that the sphere morphology with interconnection particle nature. RESULTS: The particle diameter was found as ~ 6.5 and ~ 8.6 nm for CS-g-P/B-GHS and FLZ-loaded CS-g-P/B-GHS carriers, respectively. The negative surface charge was found as the values of CS-g-P/B-GHS and FLZ-loaded CS-g-P/B-GHS, such as -20.7 mV and - 32.2 mV, from zeta potential analysis. The in-vitro FLZ releases from the CS-g-P/B-GHS were investigated at pH 7.4 (PBS) as the tear fluid environment, and it was observed at 85.02% of FLZ release in 8 h reaction time. The sustained release was observed, leading to the necessity for prolonged therapeutic effects. The antifungal effect of the carrier was studied by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the percentage inhibition of viable fungal count against Candida albicans, and it observed 81.02% of the zone of inhibition by the FLZ carrier. CONCLUSION: FLZ-loaded CS-g-P/B-GHS carrier could inhibit the biofilm formation in a concentration-dependent inhibition. Hence, A novel FLZ/B-GHS-CS-g-P carrier is a hopeful approach for effectively treating superficial fungal contaminations of the retina region.

Ocular syphilis masquerading as CMV retinitis in a transplanted patient.

BACKGROUND: Syphilis has historically been referred to as "the great imitator", for the extent of disease manifestations secondary to infection. Ocular manifestations include a wide range of intra-ocular inflammation. METHODS: In this study, we report the case of a 52 years-old male patient with syphilitic hemorrhagic necrotizing retinitis. RESULTS: The patient presented to the emergency room for rapid and progressive vision loss and ocular redness lasting three weeks and was under immunosuppressive treatment. The diagnosis was syphilitic hemorrhagic necrotizing retinitis mimicking the typical clinical picture of retinitis caused by Cytomegalovirus infection in immunocompromised patients. CONCLUSIONS: The presented case highlights the need to consider ocular syphilis as a great masquerader even in the presence of atypical presentations such as hemorrhagic retinitis. Syphilis should be tested for treponemal and non-treponemal tests, and it should be ruled out as an etiological agent in every case of new-onset intra-ocular inflammation.

Short peptides derived from pigment epithelium-derived factor attenuate retinal ischemia reperfusion injury through inhibition of apoptosis and inflammatory response in rats.

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is widely recognized as a neuroprotective factor expressed in the retina and has shown therapeutic potential in several retinal diseases. Our study aimed to identify the neuroprotective fragment in PEDF and investigate its protective activity in retinas under ischemia-reperfusion (IR) condition. We synthesized a series of shorter synthetic peptides, 6-mer (Ser93-Gln98) and its d-form variant (6 dS) derived from the 44-mer (Val78-Thr121; a PEDF neurotrophic fragment), to determine their cytoprotective activity in IR injury, which was induced in rat retinas by injection of saline into the anterior chamber to increase the intraocular pressure (IOP) followed by reperfusion. We found the cytoprotective effect of 6-mer on glutamate-treated Neuro-2a cells and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP)-treated 661W cells were 2.6-fold and 1.5-fold higher than the 44-mer, respectively. The cytoprotective effect was blocked by a chemical inhibitor atglistatin and blocking antibody targeting PEDF receptor (PEDF-R). IR induced several impairments in retina, including cell apoptosis, activation of microglia/macroglia, degeneration of retinal capillaries, reduction in electroretinography (ERG) amplitudes, and retinal atrophy. Such IR injuries were ameliorated by treatment with 6-mer and 6 dS eye drops. Also, the neuroprotective activity of 6-mer and 6 dS in ischemic retinas were dramatically reversed by atglistatin preconditioning. Taken together, our data demonstrate smallest neuroprotective fragment of PEDF has potential to treat retinal degeneration-related diseases.

Pediatric Posterior Infectious Uveitis.

PURPOSE: To describe the most important cause of infectious posterior uveitis in pediatric patients. METHODS: Review of the literature. RESULTS: The most important causes of infectious uveitis in pediatric patients are: cat-scratch disease, toxocariasis, tuberculosis, viral diseases and toxoplasmosis. Ocular manifestations include retinitis, neuroretinitis, choroidal granulomas, peripheral granulomas and posterior pole granulomas. CONCLUSION: Infectious posterior uveitis is a challenging subject and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any posterior uveitis in children. Infectious uveitis must be excluded before initiating immunosuppressive therapy.

Epidemic retinitis during pregnancy.

Purpose: To study the clinical presentation and treatment outcome of epidemic retinitis (ER) during pregnancy. Methods: This is a retrospective, observational chart review of pregnant patients diagnosed with ER from January 2014 to February 2023. Demographic details, month of pregnancy at the onset of ocular symptoms, history of present illness, clinical manifestations, and treatment outcomes were studied. Results: In 9 years, ER was seen in 86 females, of whom 12 (13.9%) were pregnant. Twenty-one eyes of those 12 patients were studied. Most of the patients presented in the sixth month of pregnancy (range: 5-9 months, mean: 6.3 months). Physicians diagnosed viral exanthematous fever in six, typhoid in three, and suspected rickettsia in one patient. Medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) was performed in two patients before presentation. Weil-Felix test was positive in five, Brucella in one, WIDAL in three, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) IgG and dengue IgG in one patient each. Oral antibiotics were given in five patients (two post-medical termination of pregnancy [MTP]) for the retinitis. All except four received oral steroids. Mean presenting corrected distant visual acuity (n = 21) was 20/125 (range: 20/20-20/20,000), which improved to (n = 18) 20/30 (range: 20/20-20/240). Macular edema (n = 11) resolved in 33.18 days (range: 20-50 days), and retinitis (n = 13) resolved in 58 days (range: 30-110 days). Ocular and systemic examination of newborn was possible in two and the babies were normal. Conclusion: ER is seen commonly at the beginning of the third trimester. Lack of antibiotics may delay the resolution of retinitis. Ocular health needs to be assessed in larger series to conclude absence of retinal involvement in newborns.

Bartonella Neuroretinitis: There Is More to Cat Scratch Disease than Meets the Eye.

BACKGROUND Cat scratch disease (CSD) is a self-limited infection caused by Bartonella henselae that causes lymphadenitis, fevers, skin changes at the inoculation site, headache, nausea, and ocular symptoms. Bartonella neuroretinitis is a form of CSD that presents with ocular symptoms, such as a central scotoma, rather than the typical lymphadenopathy of CSD. Bartonella neuroretinitis is the most common cause of infectious neuroretinitis leading to painless vision loss. Symptoms can mimic the more common optic neuritis, which can lead to under-diagnosis. Early diagnosis of Bartonella neuroretinitis and initiation of appropriate treatment is crucial to prevent vision loss and shorten recovery time. CASE REPORT A 47-year-old man presented to the Emergency Department with nonspecific symptoms of headache, fevers, and visual changes. He was noted to have adopted a cat 2 months prior to presentation. A dilated fundus examination revealed grade 3 optic disc edema with small disc hemorrhages bilaterally without lymphadenopathy, and Bartonella henselae serologies returned positive for the disease. The patient was treated with doxycycline and rifampin at discharge. At his follow-up outpatient ophthalmology visit, the patient had symptomatically improved vision, with dilated fundus examination supporting reduced optic disc edema in the right eye. CONCLUSIONS Early recognition and treatment of Bartonella neuroretinitis is essential to prevent vision loss and shorten recovery time. The current standard of treatment is doxycycline and rifampin for 4 to 6 weeks, and a growing body of literature indicates the supplementation of corticosteroids with these antibiotics.

Neurorretinitis bilateral y nefritis lúpica membranosa: dos manifestaciones infrecuentes en el lupus juvenil / Bilateral neuroretinitis and membranous lupus nephritis: 2 infrequent manifestations in juvenile lupus

Joven de 15 años, previamente sana, se presentó con dolor abdominal, vómitos, diarrea, eritema malar, edema palpebral y en miembros inferiores, artralgias, rigidez matinal y visión borrosa bilateral. Estudios de laboratorio y por imágenes junto con la clínica permitieron realizar el diagnóstico de síndrome nefrótico secundario a lupus eritematoso sistémico. Al examen oftalmológico se constató 8/10 de visión en ambos ojos y edema de papila bilateral con estrella macular parcial, hallazgos compatibles con una neurorretinitis bilateral. La biopsia renal estableció el diagnóstico de nefritis lúpica membranosa. Se inició tratamiento inmunosupresor, con mejoría clínica gradual. Si bien el lupus eritematoso sistémico con nefritis lúpica membranosa y neurorretinitis es una asociación muy infrecuente, frente a un paciente con neurorretinitis bilateral debemos considerar el lupus eritematoso sistémico dentro de los diagnósticos diferenciales (AU)

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 (AU)

A Case of Syphilis with a Rare Finding: Subretinal Hypopyon.

PURPOSE: To report clinical features and follow-up of a case with subretinal hypopyon due to syphilis infection. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of syphilis admitted with optic neuritis and treated with intravenous pulse steroids without antibiotics. The patient was referred to the uvea clinic in the follow-up because of decreased vision and the onset of multiple retinitis foci. We determined subretinal hypopyon in the left eye and a positive TPHA test. A significant regression was observed in retinitis and hypopyon with antibiotic therapy. CONCLUSION: Before starting a steroid treatment, infective etiologies should be considered in patients with optic neuritis. Treating with a high dosage of steroids without antibiotics in syphilis would worsen the clinical features and prognosis.

A Case of Neuroretinitis following Inactivated Virion COVID-19 Vaccination.

PURPOSE: We report a rare presentation of neuroretinitis following vaccination with inactivated virion vaccine (COVAXIN). METHODS: Interventional Case Report. OBSERVATION: A 14-year-old female presented with sudden unilateral vision loss 3 days following COVID-19 vaccination. The clinical and radiological evaluation was consistent with classical neuroretinitis; the serological and immunological workup was negative. The patient responded well to the pulse steroid therapy and regained complete vision. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 vaccine related adverse ocular events are beginning to emerge slowly and thus warrants close monitoring of all such cases. Also, ophthalmologists should be encouraged to seek vaccination status of patients presenting with inflammatory ocular conditions.

Idiopathic Retinal Vasculitis, Aneurysms and Neuroretinitis: Clinical Improvement with Infliximab.

PURPOSE: Idiopathic retinal vasculitis, aneurysms and neuroretinitis is a rare vision-threatening condition. If untreated vision loss occurs due to complications of progressive retinal ischaemia including retinal neovascularisation, neovascular glaucoma and retinal exudation. Despite the proposed underlying inflammatory aetiology this condition demonstrates poor response to corticosteroid treatment. The aim was to describe two paediatric cases of idiopathic retinal vasculitis, aneurysms and neuroretinitis treated with infliximab. METHODS: Two case reports. RESULTS: Infliximab treatment led to resolution of aneurysmal dilatations and retinal vasculitis, and reversal of some retinal capillary non-perfusion. CONCLUSION: Early infliximab treatment should be considered in cases of idiopathic retinal vasculitis, aneurysms and neuroretinitis.

A Case of Idiopathic Retinitis Vasculitis Aneurysms and Neuroretinitis (IRVAN) Treated with Adalimumab.

PURPOSE: To report a case of IRVAN in a 13-year-old girl responding well to Adalimumab and Azathioprine. RESULTS: A 13-year-old girl presented to us with central scotoma for a duration of 10 months. She was treated earlier with oral steroids with poor response. Fundus examination revealed features of IRVAN. She was treated with intravitreal dexamethasone implant in both eyes with oral Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF) with transient response to it. So she was switched over to subcutaneous Adalimumab 40 mg once in 2 weeks and oral Azathioprine 50 mg BD. The disease activity was well controlled with the current regime. CONCLUSION: Though various treatment modalities have been described in literature for the treatment of IRVAN. This is the first case of IRVAN to be treated with Adalimumab along with Azathioprine to be reported.

A Case of Neuroretinitis Following COVID-19 Vaccination.

PURPOSE: To present a case of neuroretinitis following an mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. CASE REPORT: A 78-year-old healthy woman was presented with blurry vision in her left eye 1 day after receiving the third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The ocular examination revealed an optic disc swelling and retinal thickening of the macula with subretinal fluid in the left eye. The fluorescein angiography revealed hyperfluorescence of the left optic disc. The neuroretinitis resolved gradually after taking azithromycin and prednisolone orally. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of unilateral neuroretinitis following COVID-19 vaccination, implying a potential association between the mRNA vaccine and neuroretinitis.

Use of Ultra-Widefield Fluorescein Angiography to Guide the Treatment to Idiopathic Retinal Vasculitis, Aneurysms, and Neuroretinitis-Case Report and Literature Review.

PURPOSE: To review the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of idiopathic retinal vasculitis, aneurysms, and neuroretinitis (IRVAN) and to report a case with the use of ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (UWFA) for confirming the precise staging of IRVAN and aid in early treatment. The patient improved after being treated with intravitreal aflibercept injection. RESULTS: A 26-year-old female complained of progressive blurred vision OD for one week. Her BCVA was 0.6 OD and 1.0 OS. Fundus examination showed vitritis, retinal hemorrhage, and vasculitis over bilateral eyes. Fluorescein angiography (FA) with a 55 degree of view revealed aneurysmal dilations of the peripapillary arteriole, peripapillary focal leakage, venous leakage, and capillary nonperfusion area. Stage 2 IRVAN was impressed OU. Oral prednisolone was administered. After four months, she experienced decreased visual acuity OS. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed subretinal and intraretinal fluid with hyperreflective material. One posterior subtenon triamcinolone and one intravitreal aflibercept injection were performed OS, and macular edema subsided. A 105-degree ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (UWFA) showed multiple peripheral background hypofluorescence areas corresponding to capillary nonperfusion. Retinal neovascularization (NV) was found OS, which had not been revealed by the previous 55-degree FA. Stage 3 IRVAN was made OS and panretinal laser photocoagulation (PRP) was performed. Oral prednisone and cyclosporine were prescribed. Her vision improved to 1.0 OU. CONCLUSION: UWFA provides visualization of peripheral retinal pathology and for precise staging. It also had direct implications in the follow-up and treatment strategy.

Case Report: Acute Retinal Necrosis after a Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection.

SIGNIFICANCE: Acute retinal necrosis is a rare, sight-threatening condition typically found in immunocompromised patients and is most commonly caused by varicella zoster virus. Because of the poor prognosis and rapid progression of the disease course, prompt antiviral management is paramount. PURPOSE: A case report of acute retinal necrosis in a patient with herpes virus infection after a cervical epidural corticosteroid injection was performed. Extensive laboratory work and frequent follow-ups are necessary for management. This case report outlines the clinical signs of acute retinal necrosis and discusses the appropriate referrals and treatment needed to improve prognosis. CASE REPORT: A 63-year-old man presented to our eye clinic with symptoms of pain and light sensitivity. Examination revealed anterior uveitis, vitritis, optic disc edema, macular edema, vasculitis, and retinitis of the left eye. The serum antibody test results showed abnormal ranges for varicella zoster virus and herpes simplex virus type 1, and the patient was diagnosed with acute retinal necrosis. Treatment prescribed by a retina specialist included oral valacyclovir and later oral prednisolone, for which the patient responded well before developing the common complication of retinal detachment. CONCLUSIONS: The progressive nature of acute retinal necrosis is usually debilitating to vision, even when managed properly. Because prognosis is often poor, it is important to make proper diagnoses combined with a complete review of the patient's medical history and immune status to prevent further vision loss.

Case Report: Treatment of Severe Neuroretinitis and other Sequelae Associated with Cat Scratch Disease.

SIGNIFICANCE: Severe vision loss from Bartonella neuroretinitis can be best treated to improve visual outcomes with a combination of systemic corticosteroids and antibiotics. Topical ketorolac 0.5% and difluprednate 0.05% are presented as a new adjunct therapy to potentially improve visual outcomes. PURPOSE: This case illustrates severe posterior pole complications that can occur with cat scratch disease disseminated to the eye. Combination therapy with antibiotics and corticosteroids results in better visual outcomes. Topical treatment might further enhance visual outcome by preventing inflammatory damage without significant immunosuppression. CASE REPORT: A 17-year-old male teenager presented with right eye vision loss. He had been hospitalized 2 weeks prior for optic neuritis and treated with intravenous methylprednisolone. After 3 days, vision had improved from 20/200 to 20/40. After positive serology for Bartonella henselae was obtained, he was released and treated with oral rifampin, doxycycline, and prednisone. Sixteen days later, he regressed to 20/200, and many more ophthalmic complications were observed. After discontinuation of rifampin, oral prednisone was continued for an additional 2 weeks, and doxycycline was continued for approximately 3 weeks. Topical drops ketorolac 0.5% twice a day and difluprednate 0.05% four times a day were used for more than 6 weeks before tapering after vision returned to normal. CONCLUSIONS: Bartonella neuroretinitis associated with pre-retinal hemorrhage, vitritis, and subretinal hemorrhage can be successfully treated with a combination of systemic medications and topical drops. Monotherapy with doxycycline is effective and well tolerated. Rifampin can cause rapid metabolization and reduction in plasma levels of both prednisone and doxycycline and should be avoided with combined therapy. Oral prednisone and topical difluprednate are recommended to quell initial inflammation during the first few weeks. The anti-inflammatory effects of doxycycline and topical ketorolac used for longer duration may be beneficial in preventing tissue damage without systemic immunosuppression and result in better visual outcomes.

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.

A case report of isolated primary herpes-simplex virus neuroretinitis in an immunocompetent adult.

BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex virus (specifically HSV-1 and HSV-2) are greatly prevalent viruses that can cause conjunctivitis, keratitis and other rarer ocular disorders such as acute retinal necrosis syndrome or neuroretinitis. We report a case of an isolated unilateral neuroretinitis with primary HSV infection in an immunocompetent adult without other related clinical features. CASE PRESENTATION: A 60-year-old immunocompetent woman presented with sudden painless central vision loss in her left eye (best corrected visual acuity was 20/200) showing optic disc edema, submacular fluid and a delayed development of a macular star. The macular optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed a serous retinal detachment. Arterial hypertension or exposure to ionizing radiation were ruled out and the microbiological blood test battery was only positive for immunoglobulin M (IgM) for HSV-1 which allowed etiological treatment with oral valacyclovir. Complete resolution and good visual results were found within 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: The present case of isolated neuroretinitis as a primary HSV infection in an immunocompetent patient was resolved with good functional results after valacyclovir treatment. Presence of HSV IgM in absence of other laboratory results could be enough evidence to start HSV treatment in immunocompetent patients with a macular star, as an isolated lesion, after ruling out other non-infectious causes, such as arterial hypertension or exposure to ionizing radiation. Rare infectious agents in immunocompetent patients must be considered in the differential diagnosis of neuroretinitis, even if there are no other typical symptoms or signs that could suggest the disease.

Epidemic retinitis - Factors associated with poor visual outcomes.

PURPOSE: To identify factors other than macular edema and retinitis location responsible for poor visual outcomes in epidemic retinitis (ER). METHODS: A.retrospective, observational, comparative study. Eyes with corrected distant visual acuity (CDVA) 20/200 or worse at resolution formed Group A. Eyes with central macular thickness (CMT) 600 µm or worse and retinitis within 1500 µm to foveal center at the presentation, but improved to CDVA 20/200 or better at the resolution formed Group B. The patient's history, clinical presentation, imaging, and treatment outcomes were studied and the factors responsible for the final visual outcomes were compared in both groups. RESULTS: Groups A and B included 25 eyes each. The mean CDVA at the presentation was 20/400 (range: 20/125-20000) and 20/320 (range: 20/80-20000), and mean CMT at the presentation was 948.5 µm (range: 520-1553) and 912.2 µm (range: 615-1250) in Groups A and B, respectively. All eyes except 1 (Group A) had retinitis lesions within 1500 µm of foveal center. The mean CDVA at the resolution was 20/400 (range: 20/200-20/20000) and 20/40 (range: 20/20-20/80) in Groups A and B, respectively. Older age, male gender, diabetic status, delayed presentation, poor presenting CDVA, bilaterality, presence of keratic precipitates, disk pallor, retinal thinning, and subfoveal deposits had a statistically significant association, whereas the absence of skin rash, ellipsoid zone loss, negative WIDAL, Weil-Felix test, and delayed doxycycline therapy or use of steroids without doxycycline had a statistically insignificant association with poor visual outcomes. CONCLUSION: Apart from presenting CMT and location of retinitis, multiple demographic, clinical, and imaging factors can be implicated for poor visual outcomes.

[Multimodal imaging in toxoplasmic external punctate retinitis: about a case]. / Imagerie multimodale dans la rétinite ponctuée externe toxoplasmique: à propos d'un cas.

Punctuate Outer Retinal Toxoplasmosis (PORT) is a rare variant of toxoplasma chorioretinitis. We report the case of a 21-year-old patient presenting with visual blur of the left eye (LE). The examination found a corrected visual acuity (VA) at 3/10th, a quit anterior segment and a 1+ vitreous haze. Fundus examination showed a suprafoveolar yellowish-white lesions associated to multiple peripheral atrophic and pigmented ones. Visual acuity of the right eye was 10/10th with a calm anterior segment. Fundus examination depicted an upper temporal cicatricial pigmented lesion. Multimodal imaging of LE objectified a PORT. The patient received antibiotic and corticosteroids with favorable clinical and functional outcome. Final VA reached 10/10 at day ten. This case illustrates the importance of multimodal imaging in the differentiation of PORT from the white dots syndrome and other unilateral retinitis.