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Recurrent ocular toxoplasmosis in patients treated with systemic corticosteroids
P J Morhun1, J M Weisz, S J Elias
1UCLA Ocular Inflammatory Disease Center, Jules Stein Eye Institute 90095-7003, USA.
Purpose:
The authors discuss a possible relationship between systematic corticosteroid use and reactivation of ocular toxoplasmosis.
Methods:
Patients were identified who developed foci of recurrent toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis while being treated with systemic corticosteroids. Case histories were reviewed retrospectively.
Results:
During a 10-year interval, three patients were identified at the University of California, Los Angeles, who had been receiving systemic corticosteroid therapy (dose range, 0.27-1.23 mg/kg/day) when they developed recurrent toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis. Disease occurred at intervals of 20 days to approximately 1 year after start of corticosteroid therapy. Lesions were typical in appearance, course, and manner in which they responded to antimicrobial therapy.
Conclusion:
Recurrent toxoplasmosis in patients receiving corticosteroid therapy probably is uncommon. These cases do not confirm a causal relationship between corticosteroid use and initiation of disease recurrence.