Intermediate uveitis and retinal vasculitis as manifestations of cat scratch disease.
OBJECTIVE
To study the ocular manifestations of systemic Rochalimaea infection.


METHODS
We examined a healthy 21-year old woman who had floaters in both eyes. A bilateral mild vitreitis and multiple foci of retinal vasculitis were found; during the ensuing two weeks, exudates appeared over the inferior pars plana. The patient owned five kittens but had no history of cat bites or scratches. Serum levels of antibodies to Rochalimaea were elevated.


RESULTS
The retinal vasculitis and vitreitis resolved after three weeks of therapy with ciprofloxacin hydrochloride without concomitant anti-inflammatory therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Rochalimaea infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intermediate uveitis and retinal vasculitis.
Soheilian
M
M
Ophthalmology Department, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02114, USA.
Markomichelakis
N
N
Foster
C S
CS
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D018416:Bartonella henselae / Q000276:immunology; D018413:Bartonella quintana / Q000276:immunology; D002372:Cat-Scratch Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002415:Cats; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D015867:Uveitis, Intermediate / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D002939:Ciprofloxacin