title: Rapidly progressive outer retinal necrosis caused by varicella zoster virus in a patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus.
abstract: We describe a 21-year-old immunocompromised patient with a unique type of necrotizing herpetic retinitis. The retinitis progressed with loss of vision when acyclovir or ganciclovir alone was used for treatment. Examination of a chorioretinal biopsy specimen revealed that varicella zoster virus was the causative agent. Foscarnet monotherapy also failed to prevent progression of the retinal infection. Combination antiviral therapy with ganciclovir and foscarnet appeared to delay progression of disease and helped maintain a visual acuity of 20/200 for at least 6 months after the onset of infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Galindez
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Sabates
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Whitacre
authors.forename: F N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Sabates
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D015882:Retinal Necrosis Syndrome, Acute / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*