Post-fever retinitis: a single center experience from south India.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Infectious Diseases
• Retinal Imaging

Background:

• Febrile illnesses can lead to diverse retinal issues, but post-fever retinitis data is limited.
• Understanding the clinical course and management of post-fever retinitis is crucial for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the clinical presentation, course, and management of post-fever retinitis.
• To investigate the potential immunological basis of post-fever retinitis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 14 patients with post-fever retinitis over one year.
• Comprehensive ophthalmic examinations, including fundus fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography (OCT).
• Systemic steroid treatment with dose tapering based on clinical response.

Main Results:

• Ocular symptoms appeared approximately 3 weeks post-fever, with presenting visual acuity averaging 2/60.
• Common findings included inner retinitis at the posterior pole and macular exudation; OCT showed inner retinal thickening.
• All patients improved with steroid treatment, achieving average visual acuities of 6/12 (unilateral) and 6/24 (bilateral), with resolution of retinal lesions.

Conclusions:

• Post-fever retinitis presents with characteristic inner retinal inflammation and responds favorably to systemic steroids.
• The consistent clinical presentation and treatment response suggest an underlying immunological mechanism, irrespective of the initial fever etiology.