Open AccessPanuveitis as a manifestation of ocular syphilis leading to HIV diagnosis
Author(s) -
Jay Chhablani,
Jyotirmay Biswas,
Sridha Sridharan
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
oman journal of ophthalmology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.306
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 0974-7842
pISSN - 0974-620X
DOI - 10.4103/0974-620x.60019
Subject(s) - medicine , syphilis , treponema , rapid plasma reagin , penicillin , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , ophthalmology , pallor , uveitis , pathology , surgery , antibiotics , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Syphilis is a rare cause of panuveitis. We present the case of a 33-year-old man who presented with diminution of vision of three months duration in his left eye (OS), without any other systemic illness. Ophthalmic examination showed features of pauveitis with dense vitreous exudates, disc pallor and sheathing of vessels on fundoscopy. A diagnosis of probable endogenous endophthalmitis was made and vitreous tap performed. Vitreous biopsy showed no growth of fungus or bacteria. Rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and Treponema pallidum hemagglutination (TPHA) test were positive. Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) and Western Blot test were then performed, which revealed concurrent HIV infection. The patient improved dramatically with intravenous penicillin therapy. HIV positive patients may present with panuveitis secondary to ocular syphilis, as the only presenting feature in HIV positive patient in absence of any other systemic features.