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West nile virus occlusive retinal vasculitis
Ali Reza Gohari1, Ronald L Willson, Kurt A Gitter
1From the Foundation for Retinal Research, Retina Associates, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Retinal Cases & Brief Reports
|November 13, 2014
Summary
West Nile virus can cause severe vision loss through occlusive retinal vasculitis, a rare complication. This case highlights its presentation with simultaneous chorioretinitis, emphasizing the need for prompt diagnosis and management.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Infectious Diseases
- Neuroscience
Background:
- West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus with potential neuroinvasive and ocular manifestations.
- Ocular involvement in WNV infection, while uncommon, can lead to significant visual impairment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a unique case of West Nile virus meningoencephalitis.
- To describe simultaneous occurrence of chorioretinitis and occlusive retinal vasculitis in a single patient.
Main Methods:
- Case report detailing clinical presentation and diagnostic workup.
- Ocular examinations including fundus photography, fluorescein angiography (FA), and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA).
- Serologic testing for West Nile virus confirmation.
Main Results:
- A 45-year-old woman developed severe vision loss in one eye.
- Ocular findings included retinal opacification, edema, arteriolar narrowing, and occlusions.
- FA and ICGA revealed extensive retinal and choroidal vascular abnormalities, with ICGA identifying additional lesions.
Conclusions:
- Occlusive retinal vasculitis is a rare but significant ocular complication of West Nile virus infection.
- This vasculitis can affect young, non-diabetic individuals.
- Occlusive retinal vasculitis is associated with poorer visual outcomes compared to WNV chorioretinitis.
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