Open AccessOcclusion of the central retinal artery in Plasmodium falciparum malaria
Author(s) -
Himadri Choudhury,
Bhavik Panchal,
Shreyansh Doshi,
Avinash Pathengay
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
bmj case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.231
H-Index - 26
ISSN - 1757-790X
DOI - 10.1136/bcr-2019-230137
Subject(s) - medicine , central retinal artery occlusion , chills , malaria , plasmodium falciparum , fundus (uterus) , ophthalmology , visual acuity , surgery , pathology
A 40-year-old woman presented with sudden painless diminution of vision in left eye. The best corrected visual acuity was 20/20 in the right eye and 20/400 in the left eye. The vision loss occurred 3 days after the onset of fever with chills and rigour. Rapid diagnostic test and peripheral blood smear examination revealed Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The left eye fundus showed a pale disc with marked attenuation of arterioles. A detailed systemic evaluation including cardiovascular, haematological and angiographic assessments was performed which did not reveal any abnormality. A diagnosis of central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) associated with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria was made. In this communication, we report that acute loss of vision in a patient with P. falciparum malaria, CRAO needs to be ruled out.