title: Viral posterior uveitis.
abstract: The causes of posterior uveitis can be divided into infectious, autoimmune, or masquerade syndromes. Viral infections, a significant cause of sight-threatening ocular diseases in the posterior segment, include human herpesviruses, measles, rubella, and arboviruses such as dengue, West Nile, and chikungunya virus. Viral posterior uveitis may occur as an isolated ocular disease in congenital or acquired infections or as part of a systemic viral illness. Many viruses remain latent in the infected host with a risk of reactivation that depends on various factors, including virulence and host immunity, age, and comorbidities. Although some viral illnesses are self-limiting and have a good visual prognosis, others, such as cytomegalovirus retinitis or acute retinal necrosis, may result in serious complications and profound vision loss. Since some of these infections may respond well to antiviral therapy, it is important to work up all cases of posterior uveitis to rule out an infectious etiology. We review the clinical features, diagnostic tools, treatment regimens, and long-term outcomes for each of these viral posterior uveitides.
authors.affiliation: Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Joanne H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Vitreoretina and Uveitis, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Aniruddha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.affiliation: Department of Uveitis and Ocular Immunology, Narayana Nethralaya, Bengaluru, India.
authors.forename: Padmamalini
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mahendradas
authors.affiliation: Department of Uveitis, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Cecilia S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Vitreoretina and Uveitis, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Vishali
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Retina, Moorfields Eye Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Pavesio
authors.affiliation: Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Medical Retina, Moorfields Eye Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom; Department of Ophthalmology, National Healthcare Group Eye Institute, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore. Electronic address: rupesh_agrawal@ttsh.com.sg.
authors.forename: Rupesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agrawal
mesh_terms: D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D015828:Eye Infections, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D015866:Uveitis, Posterior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology
keywords: CMV retinitis; herpetic retinitis; polymerase chain reaction; posterior uveitis; viral posterior uveitis; viruses