Endogenous Escherichia coli endophthalmitis

Metastatic bacterial endophthalmitis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae is a unique but well-known phenomenon in Taiwan, where most cases occur in diabetic patients with pyogenic liver abscesses. However, endogenous Escherichia coli endophthalmitis is quite rare. The most common primary site of this infection is the urinary tract and the incidence of concurrent systemic infections, such as abscess formation and infective endocarditis, is high. This illness has a rapidly progressive clinical course associated with a poor prognosis for recovery of visual acuity. This is a report of a case of endogenous E. coli endophthalmitis originating from a renal abscess in a diabetic woman. Despite aggressive local and systemic treatment, evisceration was required to prevent the infection from spreading.