Posterior segment manifestations of active ocular syphilis, their response to a neurosyphilis regimen of penicillin therapy, and the influence of human immunodeficiency virus status on response

HIV-associated retinopathy in the HAART era

BACKGROUND

The effectiveness of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in restoring immune function in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has led to changes in the incidence, natural history, management, and sequelae of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated retinopathies, especially cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis.

METHODS

The medical literature pertaining to HIV-associated retinopathies was reviewed with special attention to the differences in incidence, management strategies, and complications of these conditions in the eras both before and after the widespread use of HAART.

RESULTS

In the pre-HAART era, CMV retinitis was the most common HIV-associated retinopathy, occurring in 20%-40% of patients. Median time to progression was 47 to 104 days, mean survival after diagnosis was 6 to 10 months, and indefinite intravenous maintenance therapy was mandatory. Retinal detachment occurred in 24%-50% of patients annually. Herpetic retinopathy and toxoplasmosis retinochoroiditis occurred in 1%-3% of patients and Pneumocystis carinii choroiditis, syphilitic retinitis, tuberculous choroiditis, cryptococcal choroiditis, and intraocular lymphoma occurred infrequently. In the HAART era the incidence of CMV retinitis has declined 80% and survival after diagnosis has increased to over 1 year. Immune recovery in patients on HAART has allowed safe discontinuation of maintenance therapy in patients with regressed CMV retinitis and other HIV-associated retinopathies. Immune recovery uveitis (IRU) is a HAART dependent inflammatory response that may occur in up to 63% of patients with regressed CMV retinitis and elevated CD4 counts and is associated with vision loss from epiretinal membrane, cataract, and cystoid macular edema.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence, visual morbidity, and mortality of CMV retinitis and other HIV-associated retinopathies have decreased in the era of HAART and lifelong maintenance therapy may safely be discontinued in patients with restored immune function. Patients with regressed CMV retinitis, however, may still lose vision from epiretinal membrane, cystoid macular edema, and cataract secondary to IRU.

Ocular syphilis: the new epidemic

AIM

To present the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of syphilitic uveitis in the context of an epidemic of syphilis in the UK.

METHOD

Retrospective clinical case series.

RESULTS

Six new cases of syphilitic uveitis presented to the Manchester Uveitis Clinic in 2004, after a 15-fold increase in the incidence of syphilis in the UK, including 615 cases in Greater Manchester in the 5 years to 2004. Four cases had secondary syphilis, two had latent disease, two had no rash, and two were HIV positive. Ocular involvement included anterior or panuveitis, retinitis, retinal vasculitis, and papillitis. All resolved on treatment including intramuscular procaine penicillin G with oral probenecid.

CONCLUSIONS

Syphilis is much more common recently and syphilitic uveitis should be considered in all patients with rash and/or headache, where there is retinitis and/or retinal vasculitis, or in any uveitis of uncertain origin. Treatment is that of neurosyphilis.

Ocular association of HIV infection in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy and the global perspective

Ocular involvement is a common complication of HIV infection. Since the late 1990s, widespread use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has altered the spectrum, and reduced the incidence of ocular involvement in developed countries. The incidence of the most common ocular opportunistic infection, cytomegalovirus retinitis, has decreased tremendously. However, immune recovery uveitis secondary to HAART has emerged as a frequent visually threatening condition. Early diagnosis and treatment with periocular steroids is helpful in minimizing visual loss. Clinicians should also be aware that certain antimicrobial agents used to treat opportunistic infections in HIV-positive patients are associated with potentially serious ocular side effects. In developing countries, where most of the world's 40 million HIV-positive patients live, the spectrum and incidence of ocular involvement differ from those in developed countries. The lack of HAART availability is among the many causes of these differences, which may include nutritional factors, basic medical care availability and the levels of exposure to different infectious agents. These factors add to the already challenging task of treating ocular complications and preventing blindness in HIV-positive patients in developing countries.

Syphilitic uveitis in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus

BACKGROUND

This work investigates the incidence and clinical features of syphilitic uveitis in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed syphilitic uveitis in patients coinfected with HIV that presented at a referral center between July 2001 and November 2003.

RESULTS

Twelve patients (20 eyes) were included. The ocular manifestations of syphilis led to the discovery of HIV-1 seropositivity in three patients. All patients were male and homosexual. One patient has been previously treated for syphilis with benzathine penicillin G. One patient presented with anterior uveitis and 11 patients had panuveitis or posterior uveitis. Necrotizing retinitis was noted in seven eyes (35%), posterior placoid chorioretinitis in six eyes (30%) and optic nerve involvement in five eyes (25%). Of nine patients with available cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies, seven (77.8%) had CSF abnormalities. Eleven patients were treated with intravenous penicillin G and one with intravenous ceftriaxone sodium. One patient required a second course of antibiotics to control uveitis. Ocular inflammation decreased and visual acuity improved in all nine patients for whom follow-up was available after treatment.

CONCLUSION

Manifestations of syphilitic uveitis in HIV-infected patients are multiple, with high frequencies of posterior uveitis, posterior placoid chorioretinitis, necrotizing retinitis and optic nerve involvement. Syphilitic uveitis in HIV-infected patients seems to have a more severe course and may relapse despite high-dose intravenous penicillin therapy.

Syphilis and HIV: a dangerous combination

HIV and syphilis affect similar patient groups and co-infection is common. All patients presenting with syphilis should be offered HIV testing and all HIV-positive patients should be regularly screened for syphilis. Syphilis agent may enhance the transmission of the other, probably through increased incidence of genital ulcers. Detection and treatment of syphilis can, therefore, help to reduce HIV transmission. Syphilis may present with non-typical features in the HIV-positive patient: there is a higher rate of symptomless primary syphilis and proportionately more HIV-positive patients present with secondary disease. Secondary infection may be more aggressive and there is an increased rate of early neurological and ophthalmic involvement. Diagnosis is generally made with serology but the clinician should be aware of the potential for false-negative serology in both primary and, less commonly, in secondary syphilis. All HIV-positive patients should be treated with a penicillin-based regimen that is adequate for the treatment of neurosyphilis. Relapse of infection is more likely in the HIV-positive patient and careful follow-up is required.

Posterior segment manifestations of HIV/AIDS

The ocular posterior segment manifestations of AIDS may be divided into four categories: retinal vasculopathy, unusual malignancies, neuro-ophthalmologic abnormalities, and opportunistic infections. Microvasculopathy is the most common manifestation. Opportunistic infections, particularly cytomegalovirus retinitis and progressive outer retinal necrosis, are the most likely to result in visual loss due to infection or subsequent retinal detachment. Diagnosis and treatment are guided by the particular conditions and immune status of the patient.

Rapid seroconversion to Treponema pallidum and HIV positivity in a patient with retinal vasculitis

A patient with idiopathic retinal vasculitis was found to have rapid conversion of serological tests for Treponema pallidum and HIV. The diagnosis was confirmed by Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) testing and dark ground illumination for T. pallidum, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot assay tests for HIV. Following treatment with intravenous penicillin, the fundus lesions resolved and visual acuity recovered from inaccurate light projection to 6/24 in the right eye and from counting fingers close to face to 2/60 in the left eye. Serological tests for T. pallidum in patients with concurrent HIV infection may be unpredictable. Hence, it is important to repeat these tests even in the early treatment phase of patients with retinal vasculitis who have shown initial seronegativity. This enables earlier diagnosis and initiation of specific treatment.

Ocular syphilis

Although the annual incidence of primary and secondary syphilis has dropped to the lowest rate recorded, syphilis remains an important cause of ocular disease. Uveitis is the most common ocular manifestation of syphilis in both HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients, and the diagnosis should prompt an analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid to exclude associated neurosyphilis. Newer modalities such as enzyme immunoassays and genomic amplification using the polymerase chain reaction may prove to be useful techniques to detect Treponema pallidum in intraocular specimens. The preferred treatment for all stages of syphilis remains parenteral penicillin G, although the preparation, dose, route of administration, and duration of therapy are dictated by the stage of disease and various host factors. All patients diagnosed with ocular syphilis should be tested for HIV, because the presence of a primary genital chancre increases the risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV, and because risk factors for the two diseases are similar.

Systemic disorders associated with episcleritis and scleritis

Inflammation of the episclera and sclera still represents a diagnostic challenge. Many of these presentations are idiopathic and are managed empirically with the use of anti-inflammatory therapy, usually with a satisfactory response. However, some cases will have a more aggressive nature or will show resistance to conventional therapy, and those potentially are connected to an infectious or underlying disease. In such cases, there is an increased risk of visual loss and severe systemic complications requiring intensive investigations and aggressive therapy. The diseases more commonly associated with these conditions, especially with scleritis, are the connective tissue disorders and systemic vasculitis, but systemic infections and malignancies also must be excluded. Management depends on the specific diagnosis, and every year a new list of potential associations or atypical presentations is reported. For a successful outcome, it is important that these presentations are recognized.

Syphilitic panuveitis and asymptomatic neurosyphilis: a marker of HIV infection

Co-existing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection can alter the course and presentation of syphilis. Severe ocular manifestations and accelerated natural course of syphilis along with neurosyphilis may be associated with HIV infection. A 30-year-old man is described in whom syphilitic panuveitis and asymptomatic neurosyphilis served as a marker for HIV infection.