Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Intravitreal Injections in the Ovine Eye
03:37

Intravitreal Injections in the Ovine Eye

Published on: July 5, 2022

Uveitis associated with an epidemic outbreak of leptospirosis

S R Rathinam1, S Rathnam, S Selvaraj

  • 1Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, India.

American Journal of Ophthalmology
|July 1, 1997
PubMed

Insights

Leptospirosis can cause various forms of uveitis, including panuveitis, with a generally good prognosis. Early recognition in endemic areas is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management of this ocular condition.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Leptospirosis is a zoonotic infection caused by pathogenic Leptospira species.
  • Ocular manifestations, particularly uveitis, can occur during systemic leptospirosis.

Observation:

  • This study defines the clinical presentation of uveitis in 73 patients during a leptospirosis outbreak.
  • Ocular involvement was unilateral in 35 and bilateral in 38 patients.
  • Common findings included panuveitis (95.5%), retinal periphlebitis (51.4%), and hypopyon (12.6%).

Findings:

  • The majority of affected eyes (82%) showed improvement or maintained vision after 8 months of follow-up.
  • Final visual acuity was 6/6 (20/20) in 52% of eyes.
  • Severe inflammation did not necessarily correlate with poor visual outcomes.

Implications:

  • Leptospirosis-associated uveitis can present diversely, including anterior uveitis and panuveitis.
  • Prompt identification is vital in endemic regions to distinguish it from other uveitic conditions.
  • Awareness aids in managing potential misdiagnosis, especially in young males prone to other immunologic uveitides.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Polymerase Chain Reaction and Dot-Blot Hybridization for Leptospira Detection in Water Samples06:05

Polymerase Chain Reaction and Dot-Blot Hybridization for Leptospira Detection in Water Samples

Published on: June 14, 2024

A Modular Workflow for Quantitative, Structural and Functional Analysis of Leptospira Biofilms08:51

A Modular Workflow for Quantitative, Structural and Functional Analysis of Leptospira Biofilms

Published on: December 19, 2025

Related Concept Videos

Investigation of Disease Outbreaks01:23

Investigation of Disease Outbreaks

Multistate foodborne outbreaks pose significant public health risks and require meticulous investigation to identify sources and implement control measures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) utilizes a dynamic seven-step process for these investigations, integrating data from laboratories, interviews, and environmental assessments to protect public health.Outbreak Detection: The detection of multistate outbreaks typically begins with PulseNet, the CDC's national laboratory...
Rabies01:28

Rabies

Rabies is a lethal zoonotic disease caused by a single-stranded, negative-sense RNA virus of the Lyssavirus genus, within the family Rhabdoviridae. Its primary mode of transmission to humans is through bites or saliva-contaminated scratches from infected mammals such as dogs, bats, raccoons, or foxes. Transmission can also occur if infectious saliva contacts abraded skin or intact mucous membranes, including the conjunctiva.Viral Entry and Early ReplicationOnce introduced at the bite or scratch...
Arboviral Encephalitis01:25

Arboviral Encephalitis

Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...
Leishmaniasis01:30

Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...
Toxoplasmosis01:28

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
Encephalitis l: Introduction01:19

Encephalitis l: Introduction

Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma, most often due to infections or autoimmune processes. It presents with neuropsychiatric features such as fever, altered mental status, behavioral changes, cognitive dysfunction, seizures, focal deficits, and sometimes autonomic instability. In some cases, the meninges are also involved, resulting in meningoencephalitis.Infectious CausesInfectious encephalitis is most commonly viral but can also result from bacterial, fungal, or parasitic...