Infectious Causes of Retinal Vasculitis: Causes, Presentation, Differentiation, and Therapy

Retinal vasculitis is a common manifestation of infections affecting the posterior segment. The purpose of this review was to describe the main characteristics of infectious retinal vasculitis, with an emphasis on its associated specific clinical manifestations.

Retinal vasculitis is usually associated with retinal or choroidal involvement when infectious etiology is present. It may be caused by bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic infection. Its prevalence and the spectrum of etiologies show geographical variations. Infectious vasculitis tends to exhibit ischemic areas, arterial or venous sheathing or occlusion, while noninfectious retinal vasculitis is predominantly associated with capillary vasculitis.

Recognizing the features of infectious retinal vasculitis, along with associated ocular and systemic signs, patient habits, and origin, enables the physician to suspect the potential causative etiology of the condition, facilitating more effective management of affected patients.