Clinical aspects of malarial retinopathy: a critical review

Type II Acute Macular Neuroretinopathy Secondary to Malaria

To the best of our knowledge, we present the first case of type II acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN) exhibiting in a patient suffering from malarial retinopathy concomitant with cerebral malaria acquired after travelling to West Africa without taking the necessary antimalarial prophylaxis. The patient complained of bilateral blurring of vision after being removed off sedation whilst at the intensive care unit. Subsequent examination revealed bilateral retinal haemorrhages, cotton-wool spots, and foveal pigmentary changes in keeping malarial retinopathy. Macular optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed patchy hyperreflective changes at the level of the outer plexiform and outer nuclear layers (ONL) in keeping with the areas of deep capillary plexus flow void noted on OCT-angiography (OCT-A). This case report sheds more light on the extent of neurosensory retinal ischaemia in malarial retinopathy and showcases a new imaging biomarker which may be utilized in assessing and quantifying the functional deficit created by this disease.

Cerebral malaria pathogenesis: Dissecting the role of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells as major effectors in disease pathology

Cerebral malaria (CM) is a severe complication of Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) infection, with complex pathogenesis involving multiple factors, including the host's immunological response. T lymphocytes, specifically CD4+ T helper cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, are crucial in controlling parasite growth and activating cells for parasite clearance via cytokine secretion. Contrary to this, reports also suggest the pathogenic nature of T lymphocytes as they are often involved in disease progression and severity. CD8+ cytotoxic T cells migrate to the host's brain vasculature, disrupting the blood-brain barrier and causing neurological manifestations. CD4+ T helper cells on the other hand play a variety of functions as they differentiate into different subtypes which may function as pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory. The excessive pro-inflammatory response in CM can lead to multi-organ failure, necessitating a check mechanism to maintain immune homeostasis. This is achieved by regulatory T cells and their characteristic cytokines, which counterbalance the pro-inflammatory immune response. Maintaining a critical balance between pro and anti-inflammatory responses is crucial for determining disease outcomes in CM. A slight change in this balance may contribute to a disease severity owing to an extreme inflammatory response or unrestricted parasite growth, a potential target for designing immunotherapeutic treatment approaches. The review briefly discusses the pathogenesis of CM and various mechanisms responsible for the disruption of the blood-brain barrier. It also highlights the role of different T cell subsets during infection and emphasizes the importance of balance between pro and anti-inflammatory T cells that ultimately decides the outcome of the disease.

From Bedside to Diagnosis: The Role of Ocular Fundus in Systemic Infections

In this comprehensive review, we delve into the significance of the ocular fundus examination in diagnosing and managing systemic infections at the bedside. While the utilization of advanced ophthalmological diagnostic technologies can present challenges in bedside care, especially for hospitalized patients confined to their beds or during infection outbreaks, the ocular fundus examination often emerges as an essential, and sometimes the only practical, diagnostic tool. Recent discussions have highlighted that the role of an ocular fundus examination might not always be advocated as a routine diagnostic procedure. With this context, we introduce a decision tree tailored for assessing the ocular fundus in inpatients with systemic infections. We also present an overview of systemic infections that impact the eye and elucidate key signs detectable through a bedside ocular fundus examination. Targeted primarily at non-ophthalmology clinicians, this review seeks to offer a comprehensive insight into a multifaceted approach and the enhancement of patient clinical outcomes.