[The immunological factors characterizing neurochorioretinitis]

Comprehensive clinical and immunologic studies carried out in 38 patients with neurochorioretinitis have demonstrated the contribution of infection to the etiology and pathogenesis of this condition and helped identify the nature, mostly infectious, of the condition in 55.3% of patients. Toxoplasma infection, revealed in 39.5% of cases, is one of the major etiologic factors of neurochorioretinitis. Tuberculous etiology of the condition is more rare (7.9% of cases). The autoimmune systemic component was detected in 7.9% of the examinees. Immunopathologic shifts, presenting as hyperimmunoglobulinemia, were fairly frequent (71.9% of patients), excessive concentrations of circulating immune complexes were detected in 78.6% and cryoglobulins were found in 42.9% of the examinees, this permitting the authors to regard neurochorioretinitis as a form of immunocomplex conditions of the eye, most possibly, of an infectious origin. Blood group A (II) was found to be a risk factor for neurochorioretinitis patients; according to the literature data, this is explained by a reduction of the interferonogenic activity. Etiotropic anti-inflammatory drugs, including corticosteroids, and interferon preparations for the risk group patients appear to be advisable for the therapy of neurochorioretinitis.