title: Visual loss associated with rickettsial disease.
abstract: Abstract Purpose: To characterize and analyze ocular involvement associated with visual loss in a cohort of patients with rickettsial disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of 16 eyes of 14 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean initial visual acuity (VA) was 20/63 (range, 20/800-20/25). White retinal lesions infiltrating inner retina was the most common finding occurring in 14 eyes (87.5%). It was associated with a serous retinal detachment (SRD), accurately detectable by optical coherence tomography, in 11 eyes (78.6%). Other findings included optic neuropathy in 7 eyes (43.75%), cystoid macular edema in 1 eye (6.25%), branch retinal artery occlusion in 1 eye (6.25%), and choroidal neovascularization in 1 eye (6.25%). Thirteen patients were treated with a 2-week course of oral doxycycline 200 mg/day. Mean final VA was 20/40.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inner retinitis, associated with mild vitritis and SRD, and optic neuropathy are the most common vision-threatening ocular manifestations of rickettsial disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Monastir , Monastir , Tunisia and.
authors.forename: Rim
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kahloun
authors.forename: Salma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gargouri
authors.forename: Nesrine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abroug
authors.forename: Dorra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sellami
authors.forename: Salim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ben Yahia
authors.forename: Jamel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feki
authors.forename: Moncef
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khairallah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001766:Blindness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000276:immunology*; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial
keywords: Optic neuropathy; retinitis; rickettsioses; serous retinal detachment; visual loss