Journal article
Clinical and electrophysiological course of acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis.
- Menon SR Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. s.menon@gmx.net
- Fleischhauer J
- Jost K
- Helbig H
- 2005-03-24
Published in:
- Klinische Monatsblatter fur Augenheilkunde. - 2005
Adult
Blindness
Chorioretinitis
Diagnosis, Differential
Electroretinography
Fluorescein Angiography
Fundus Oculi
Hearing Loss, Sudden
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Ophthalmoscopy
Syphilis
Vision Tests
English
BACKGROUND
Syphilis can affect the anterior as well as the posterior segment of the eye at any stage.
HISTORY AND SIGNS
A 52-year-old man was referred to our clinic because of acute loss of his vision and hearing. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was counting fingers (CF) right and 0.05 left eye, respectively. Fundoscopy revealed bilateral intraretinal macular haemorrhages and a large yellowish edematous lesion involving macula and midperipheral retina. Fluorescein angiography showed diffuse late edema. The visual field showed a defect corresponding to the edematous lesion. The "Ganzfeld" electroretinogram (ERG) was markedly reduced and the multifocal ERG in the affected area was not recordable.
THERAPY AND OUTCOME
VDRL, FTA-Abs and TPHA tests in serum and cerebrospinal fluid were positive. Intravenous penicillin therapy was initiated. BCVA, visual field and ERG eventually recovered completely.
CONCLUSIONS
Syphilis should be considered as a differential diagnosis in any unclear inflammatory ocular condition. Awareness of syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis allows rapid diagnosis and therapy.
Syphilis can affect the anterior as well as the posterior segment of the eye at any stage.
HISTORY AND SIGNS
A 52-year-old man was referred to our clinic because of acute loss of his vision and hearing. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was counting fingers (CF) right and 0.05 left eye, respectively. Fundoscopy revealed bilateral intraretinal macular haemorrhages and a large yellowish edematous lesion involving macula and midperipheral retina. Fluorescein angiography showed diffuse late edema. The visual field showed a defect corresponding to the edematous lesion. The "Ganzfeld" electroretinogram (ERG) was markedly reduced and the multifocal ERG in the affected area was not recordable.
THERAPY AND OUTCOME
VDRL, FTA-Abs and TPHA tests in serum and cerebrospinal fluid were positive. Intravenous penicillin therapy was initiated. BCVA, visual field and ERG eventually recovered completely.
CONCLUSIONS
Syphilis should be considered as a differential diagnosis in any unclear inflammatory ocular condition. Awareness of syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis allows rapid diagnosis and therapy.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- closed
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.1055/s-2005-857998
- PMID 15785996
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/289601
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