PMID: 11756898
Issn Print: 0275-004X
Publication Date: 2001/12/01
RETINITIS SYPHILITICA IN AN HIV–POSITIVE PATIENT FOLLOWING ACUTE RETINAL NECROSIS SYNDROME
PETRA S. FREIGASSNER; GERD SCHUHMANN; NAVID ARDJOMAND; YOSUF EL SHABRAWI; ANTON HAAS
Excerpt
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is known to cause a decline in the absolute number of CD4+ T-lymphocytes with increasing risk for developing a broad spectrum of illnesses and for altering the natural course of several diseases. Moreover, HIV-positive patients are likely to have serologic evidence of prior syphilis as the risk factors of both diseases are similar and genital luetic chancre supports HIV transmission. Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is an uncommon cause of necrotizing retinitis that occurs both in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Clinical disease usually conforms to acute retinal necrosis (ARN) syndrome or progressive outer retinal necrosis syndrome, which occurs in patients with advanced acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Acute retinal necrosis occurs independent of the immunologic status of the host, but in patients with AIDS it is more extensive with greater tendency of bilaterality and poorer visual outcome.
We describe an HIV-positive patient who developed retinitis syphilitica after bilateral ARN syndrome.
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