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Updated: May 11, 2026
05:37
Intravitreous Injection for Establishing Ocular Diseases Model
Published on: October 1, 2007
Fellow-eye herpes simplex virus type 1 uveitis after intravitreal bevacizumab: a case report
Maria Carmela Saturno1, Oscar Matteo Gagliardi2, Maurizio La Cava2
1Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy. mariacarmela.saturno@uniroma1.it.
BMC Ophthalmology
|May 9, 2026
Summary
Intravitreal anti-VEGF injections can rarely cause inflammation in the fellow eye, potentially indicating herpes simplex virus reactivation. Prompt PCR testing is crucial for accurate diagnosis and preventing vision loss.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Retinal Diseases
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy is standard for neovascular retinal diseases.
- Intraocular inflammation is a known side effect, usually in the treated eye.
- Fellow-eye inflammation is rare and can mimic sterile immune responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a rare case of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) uveitis in the fellow eye after intravitreal bevacizumab.
- To highlight the importance of considering viral reactivation in fellow-eye inflammation post-injection.
Main Methods:
- A case presentation of an 84-year-old man receiving intravitreal bevacizumab for wet AMD.
- Development of acute uveitis in the uninjected eye.
- Diagnosis confirmed by aqueous humor PCR detecting HSV-1 DNA.
Main Results:
- The patient developed severe anterior uveitis and vitritis in the fellow eye.
- PCR confirmed HSV-1 uveitis, leading to targeted antiviral therapy.
- Inflammation resolved with treatment, and visual acuity returned to baseline.
Conclusions:
- Fellow-eye inflammation post-anti-VEGF may signal viral reactivation, not sterile inflammation.
- Early diagnostic workup, including PCR, is vital.
- Timely diagnosis and treatment prevent severe visual complications.
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