title: Bilateral Bartonella henselae neuroretinitis with stellate maculopathy in a 6-year-old boy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bartonella henselae, the cause of cat-scratch disease in humans, may lead to characteristic vision-threatening ocular findings, which importantly indicate diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is an observational case report of a 6-year-old boy who presented with bilateral stellate maculopathy and lymphadenopathy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After serologic verification of B. henselae infection, systemic azithromycin therapy initiated the full recovery of visual acuity and bilateral complete resolution of stellate exudates during the following months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stellate maculopathy should always include the differential diagnosis of B. henselae infection. In this rare case of bilateral stellate maculopathy, we observed full recovery of function following systemic macrolide therapy.
authors.affiliation: University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany. claudia.metz@uk-essen.de
authors.forename: C H D
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Metz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buer
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bornfeld
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lipski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018416:Bartonella henselae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002372:Cat-Scratch Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D002415:Cats; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea; D008297:Male; D012173:Retinitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017963:Azithromycin