Ophthalmic manifestations of Rochalimaea species

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Rochalimaea henselae and R. quintana belong to the order Rickettsiales and are thought to be responsible for trench fever, bacillary angiomatosis, and cat scratch disease. We recently examined four patients with intraocular inflammation of unknown origin. Each patient had either unilateral or bilateral moderate loss of visual acuity ranging from 20/25 to counting fingers. Bilateral intraocular inflammation manifested by anterior and posterior segment cells, retinal lesions, macular exudate, and optic nerve head swelling was present to varying degrees. The R. henselae to R. quintana antibody titers were greater than or equal to 1:256 in each case. Marked improvement in vision occurred after treatment with either oral ciprofloxacin hydrochloride and prednisone or doxycycline hyclate. Rochalimaea species should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intraocular inflammation and inflammatory optic neuropathy. Appropriate treatment may result in marked improvement in visual acuity.

Medical Subject Headings

Adolescent; Adult; Alphaproteobacteria (immunology); Antibodies, Bacterial (analysis); Bartonella Infections (diagnosis, drug therapy); Ciprofloxacin (therapeutic use); Doxycycline (therapeutic use); Drug Therapy, Combination; Endophthalmitis (diagnosis, drug therapy, microbiology); Exudates and Transudates; Eye Infections, Bacterial (diagnosis, drug therapy); Female; Fundus Oculi; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Papilledema (diagnosis); Prednisone (therapeutic use); Retinal Diseases (diagnosis, microbiology); Visual Acuity

Publication Date

8-15-1994

Publication Title

American journal of ophthalmology

ISSN

0002-9394

Volume

118

Issue

2

First Page

145

Last Page

51

PubMed ID

8053459

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1016/s0002-9394(14)72893-4

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