A CASE OF INTRAVESICAL BACILLUS CALMETTE-GUERIN-RELATED ENDOPHTHALMITIS AND RETINITIS CONFIRMED WITH RETINAL BIOPSY

To present a rare case of bilateral endogenous chorioretinitis and unilateral endophthalmitis due to Mycobacterium bovis in a patient who received intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) treatment.

We present a case of a single male patient with bilateral endogenous chorioretinitis due to Mycobacterium bovis in a patient who received intravesical BCG, an attenuated strain of M. bovis widely used to treat superficial bladder cancer. The patient underwent intravitreal tap, vitrectomy, and chorioretinal biopsy with histologic examination.

The patient presented with a visual acuity of light perception in the right eye and 20/25 in the left eye. Examination of the right eye revealed dense vitreous haze, whereas the left eye demonstrated multifocal, yellow, round subretinal pigment epithelial lesions in the macula. The patient underwent a vitreous tap with injection of antibiotics and was admitted to the hospital for empiric systemic antibacterial and antifungal treatment along with an endogenous endophthalmitis workup. His systemic evaluation and vitreous tap did not identify a causal organism, and the eyes failed to improve on empiric therapies. He underwent pars plana vitrectomy and retinal biopsy of the right eye that revealed vitreal and infiltrative retinal acid-fast bacilli. Cultures confirmed M. bovis to be susceptible to ethambutol, rifampin, and isoniazid. After starting antimycobacterials, his vision improved to finger counting in the right eye, and his vision and appearance of the lesions remained stable in the left eye at postoperative month one.

Intravesical BCG stimulates a local cell-mediated response that destroys malignant cells. It is generally well tolerated, although it rarely can result in secondary systemic infection. Intravesical BCG-related endophthalmitis is rare and should be considered in the setting of ocular inflammation in patients with a history of bladder cancer who may not disclose previous treatment with BCG.