Acute retinal necrosis syndrome in a child

Acute retinal necrosis with exudative retinal detachment in a child

Acute retinal necrosis (ARN) is a rare ocular emergency caused mainly by viral entities. ARN may be caused by Herpes zoster virus (HZV) and Herpes simplex virus (HSV), both HSV-1 and HSV-2. ARN mostly present in 20-60 years old immunocompetent adults. A 7-year-old girl presented to the eye clinic with complaints of left eye redness noted by her mother for 2-3 days. On examination with indirect ophthalmoscopy, no hypopyon was seen in either eye. In the left eye fundus view was hazy. Ultrasound B-scan performed showed exudative retinal detachment. PCR of ocular fluid was positive for HSV-1 DNA. The patient was started on topical steroids and antibiotics and systemic antivirals. In addition, she also received intravitreal ganciclovir 4 mg/0.1 mL three times under general anaesthesia. At her last follow-up, 3 years from her presentation, her right eye examination was within normal limits, and left eye showed thick vitreous bands with a posterior vitreous detachment, and left inferotemporal retinal scarring.

Varicella-zoster virus necrotising retinitis, retinal vasculitis and panuveitis following uncomplicated chickenpox in an immunocompetent child

A 4-year-old girl presented with acute left visual loss 4 weeks after uneventful chickenpox. She was found to have left necrotising retinitis and profound retinal vasculitis and vitritis. Aqueous humour was PCR positive for varicella-zoster virus. Combined intravenous and intravitreal antiviral treatment led to rapid improvement with settled retinitis, no vascular occlusion and good recovery of vision. Her recent coinfection with Epstein-Barr virus may have acted to provoke the retinitis.

Acute retinal necrosis in primary herpes simplex virus type I infection

Here we report the case of an immunocompetent 8-year-old child who developed acute retinal necrosis concomitant with a primary herpes simplex virus type I infection. Ocular inflammation changed along with the development of a specific antibody titer in the serum. This evidence suggests that the immune response of the host can significantly modulate the clinical aspect of the ocular infection.

Retinitis following varicella in a vaccinated child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Serious ocular disease following varicella (chickenpox) is rare in children. In addition, retinitis in children with hematologic malignancies may present a difficult diagnostic challenge because infectious retinitis may mimic leukemic involvement of the eye. We report a 7-year-old patient with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in remission who presented with visual complaints 2 weeks after developing chickenpox. Ophthalmologic evaluation revealed acute retinitis in the right eye. Prolonged therapy with acyclovir resulted in near complete recovery. Early diagnosis of VZV retinopathy and aggressive antiviral treatment is critical to prevent acute and long-term ocular sequelae.

[Vasculitis associated with viral infections]

VIRUSES, THE CAUSE OF VASCULITIS: Although the majority of systemic vasculitis are of unknown causes, the responsibility of a viral infection has been formally demonstrated in some of them and specific treatment can permanently cure them. Each virus incriminated accounts for a particular type of vasculitis. HEPATITIS B VIRAL INFECTION (HBV): Is the cause of polyarteritis nodosa in 36 to 50% of cases. The onset of the symptomatology is acute, usually within a few months following the infection; it is comparable to that observed in the absence of HBV infection. CRYOGLOBULINEMIA RELATED TO THE HEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV): The clinical manifestations are those of systemic vasculitis with particular tropism for the skin (involvement generally inaugural and almost constant), peripheral nerves and the glomerula. They occur fairly late during the infection. VASCULITIS ASSOCIATED WITH HIV INFECTION: There is strong tropism for the peripheral (multi-neuritis) and central nervous system. During acute parvovirus B19 infection Vasculitis lesions have occasionally been reported following the viremic phase, generally limited to one or several flares of vascular purpura predominating on the lower limbs. FOLLOWING VARICELLA-HERPES ZOSTER INFECTION: Vasculitis occasionally develops in the form of a central neurological deficiency (locomotor deficiency with or without aphasia around one month after an ophthalmologic herpes zoster) or involving the retina or, more rarely, the skin or the kidneys. VASCULITIS ASSOCIATED WITH CYTOMEGALOVIRAL INFECTION: Predominantly observed in immunodepressed patients, vasculitis after CMV infection is diffuse and basically involving the digestive tube, notably the colon, the central nervous system and the skin. A RARE COMPLICATION OF AN HTLV1 INFECTION: Vasculitis of the retina often in the form of necrotic retinitis is often associated with spasmodic paraparessia.

THERAPEUTIC STRATEGY

For many vasculitis of viral origin, corticosteroid and immunosuppressive treatments are only indicated in second intention following failure with antiviral agents and the combination of antivirals and plasma exchanges.