Acute endophthalmitis following intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) injection.
OBJECTIVE
To report two cases of acute endophthalmitis following intravitreal bevacizumab injection.


METHODS
Two patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration were treated sequentially with an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab and developed signs of severe but painless infectious endophthalmitis 2 days later. Vitreous samples were obtained, followed by the injection of vancomycin 1 mg/0.1 ml and ceftazidime 2.25 mg/0.1 ml. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to determine whether the isolated microorganisms were the same.


RESULTS
Coagulase-negative staphylococci were identified and isolated from the vitreous specimen of both patients. PFGE revealed different patterns of banding, excluding that interpatient contamination occured.


CONCLUSIONS
Infectious endophthalmitis is a potential complication of intravitreal bevacizumab injection.
Aggio
F B
FB
Vision Institute, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Farah
M E
ME
de Melo
G B
GB
d'Azevedo
P A
PA
Pignatari
A C C
AC
Höfling-Lima
A L
AL
D000208:Acute Disease; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D009877:Endophthalmitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000379:methods; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000382:microbiology; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000382:microbiology
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab