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Retinitis following varicella in a vaccinated child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Author(s) -
Ross Ashley,
McLean Thomas W.,
Farber Rebecca,
Weaver R. Grey,
Chauvenet Allen,
Givner Laurence B.,
Shetty Avinash K.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.20118
Subject(s) - medicine , retinitis , chickenpox , lymphoblastic leukemia , pediatrics , leukemia , immunology , virus , human cytomegalovirus
Serious ocular disease following varicella (chickenpox) is rare in children. In addition, retinitis in children with hematologic malignancies may present a difficult diagnostic challenge because infectious retinitis may mimic leukemic involvement of the eye. We report a 7‐year‐old patient with T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in remission who presented with visual complaints 2 weeks after developing chickenpox. Ophthalmologic evaluation revealed acute retinitis in the right eye. Prolonged therapy with acyclovir resulted in near complete recovery. Early diagnosis of VZV retinopathy and aggressive antiviral treatment is critical to prevent acute and long‐term ocular sequelae. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.