title: Progressive outer retinal necrosis (PORN) in AIDS patients: a different appearance of varicella-zoster retinitis.
abstract: Retinal infections caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) have been reported in immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. Two cases of a VZV-related retinitis are described with the characteristic features of the recently described progressive outer retinal necrosis (PORN) syndrome. Both patients suffered from the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) with greatly reduced peripheral blood CD4+ T lymphocyte counts, and presented with macular retinitis without vitritis. The disease was bilateral in one case and unilateral in the other. The clinical course was rapidly progressive with widespread retinal involvement and the development of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with complete loss of vision in the affected eyes despite intensive intravenous antiviral therapy. VZV DNA was identified in vitreous biopsies, by molecular techniques based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in both patients. At present, the use of very high-dose intravenous acyclovir may be the best therapeutic option in these patients for whom the visual prognosis is poor. Intravitreal antiviral drugs could also contribute to the management of these cases.
authors.affiliation: Uveitis and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Clinics, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Pavesio
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Towler
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lightman
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D006563:Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000150:complications; D012173:Retinitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D000212:Acyclovir