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Purpose: Chikungunya is a re-emerging viral infection across the globe. The purpose of this article is to review the systemic and ophthalmic manifestations associated with chikungunya fever. Method: A review of literature was conducted using online databases. Results: In this report, we have reviewed the presently available literature on uveitis caused by chikungunya and highlighted the current knowledge of its clinical manifestations, imaging features, laboratory diagnostics, and the available therapeutic modalities from the systemic and ophthalmic standpoint. Conclusions: Ocular involvement in chikungunya infection may occur at the time of systemic manifestations or it may occur as a delayed presentation many weeks after the fever. Treatment relies on a supportive therapy for systemic illness. Treatment of ocular manifestation depends on the type of manifestations and usually includes a combination of topical and oral steroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To quantify retinal ischemia following presumed rickettsial retinitis (RR). To compare outcomes between initial treatment with Doxycycline (Group 1) versus steroids (Group 2). Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients with presumed RR was done. ImageJ software was used to obtain %area of ischemia on swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). Results: Eleven eyes of 8 patients belonged to Group1 and 6 eyes of 3 patients belonged to Group 2. The BCVA improved from logMAR 0.8 ∓ 0.7 to logMAR 0.06 ∓ 0.08 (p < 0.002) and central foveal thickness (CFT) changed from 479μ ∓ 341.3μ to 163.5μ ∓ 20.5μ (p < 0.005) after a median of 5 weeks in Group 1. In Group 2, BCVA improved from logMAR 1.03 ∓ 0.05 to logMAR 0.23 ∓ 0.23 (p < 0.004) and CFT changed from 286.5μ ∓ 158.8μ to 177.5μ ∓ 25.9μ (>0.05) following a mean of 11 weeks. Mean %area of ischemia was 4.6 ∓ 1.5 in Group 1 and 13.9 ∓ 4.1 in Group 2. Conclusion: Analysis of flow deficit on SS-OCTA confirms that treatment with Doxycycline in presumed RR results in less ischemia and quicker recovery than initial treatment with steroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to analyze visual fields defects (VFDs) in epidemic retinitis (ER). Patients with ER and Humphrey's visual field (HFA) 30–2 performed after resolution were studied. VFD severity grading was performed. Patients treated with oral doxycycline (Group-A) versus doxycycline-steroids (group-B) were compared. Thirty-five eyes of 25 patients were studied. Nasal, inferior, temporal and central VFD were seen in 19 (54.2%), 13 (37.1%), 7 (20%) and 6 (17.1%) eyes, respectively. Grade 0, 1, 2 and 3 VFDs were seen in 4 (11.4%), 15 (42.8%), 12 (34.2%) and 4 (11.4%) eyes respectively. Seven eyes with ≥1 year of follow-up post-resolution also showed grade 0–3 scotomas. Mean severity of scotoma was grade 1.15 (Median: 1) and 1.42 (Median: 1.5) in groups A (n = 13) and B (n = 14), respectively (p =.637). ER can cause VFD persisting long after resolution. Treatment with oral doxycycline without steroids was non-inferior to combined treatment with respect to VFD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study clinical and imaging features of presumed post-COVID infection retinitis. Retrospective case series of patients presenting with retinitis lesions with evidence of recent COVID infection. Retinal findings and optical coherence tomography (OCT) features were studied at baseline and follow-ups. Twenty-four eyes of 17 patients were included. Mean age was 36.57 ± 11.78 years. Baseline visual acuity (VA) was log MAR 0.97 ± 0.43. Fundus findings included retinitis patches (n = 24),hard exudates (n = 8), and superficial hemorrhages (n = 16). OCT features included neurosensory detachment (NSD, n = 20), hyperreflective inner layers (n = 24), acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN, n = 8), hyperreflective foci (n = 20). At final follow-up, VA was logMAR 0.43 ± 0.27. Retinitis patches persisted in four eyes, AMN in three eyes, and NSD in five eyes. Conclusion- Post- COVID infection retinitis adds to existing literature on post COVID syndromes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study the clinical presentation and treatment outcome of epidemic retinitis (ER) during pregnancy. Methods: This is a retrospective, observational chart review of pregnant patients diagnosed with ER from January 2014 to February 2023. Demographic details, month of pregnancy at the onset of ocular symptoms, history of present illness, clinical manifestations, and treatment outcomes were studied. Results: In 9 years, ER was seen in 86 females, of whom 12 (13.9%) were pregnant. Twenty-one eyes of those 12 patients were studied. Most of the patients presented in the sixth month of pregnancy (range: 5-9 months, mean: 6.3 months). Physicians diagnosed viral exanthematous fever in six, typhoid in three, and suspected rickettsia in one patient. Medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) was performed in two patients before presentation. Weil-Felix test was positive in five, Brucella in one, WIDAL in three, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) IgG and dengue IgG in one patient each. Oral antibiotics were given in five patients (two post-medical termination of pregnancy [MTP]) for the retinitis. All except four received oral steroids. Mean presenting corrected distant visual acuity (n = 21) was 20/125 (range: 20/20-20/20,000), which improved to (n = 18) 20/30 (range: 20/20-20/240). Macular edema (n = 11) resolved in 33.18 days (range: 20-50 days), and retinitis (n = 13) resolved in 58 days (range: 30-110 days). Ocular and systemic examination of newborn was possible in two and the babies were normal. Conclusion: ER is seen commonly at the beginning of the third trimester. Lack of antibiotics may delay the resolution of retinitis. Ocular health needs to be assessed in larger series to conclude absence of retinal involvement in newborns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study the impact of the novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on incidence, seasonal variation, clinical presentation, and disease outcome of epidemic retinitis (ER) and to compare clinical outcomes with positive and negative COVID-19 serology. Methods: This is a retrospective, observational study conducted at a tertiary eye care hospital from August 2020 to June 2022. A graph of ER cases against the month of presentation was compared with the graph of the COVID-19 pandemic in the same region. Cases presented before COVID-19 vaccination, with positive COVID-19 serology (Group 1) were compared with cases with negative serology (Group 2). Results: One hundred and thirty-two cases of ER were seen. The least number of cases were seen during and immediately after the peak of the pandemic (May 2021-August 2021). COVID-19 serology was positive in 13 (22 eyes)/60 (21.6%) unvaccinated cases. Along with COVID-19, positive serology for other ER etiologies was seen in 5/13 cases (38.4%). All patients received oral doxycycline with/without steroids. Groups 1 and 2 included 22 and 21 eyes of 13 cases each. Macular edema resolved in 43.6 and 32 days in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Retinitis resolved at 1 month in both groups. Corrected distant visual acuity was 20/50 and 20/70 at the presentation, which improved to 20/20 and 20/25 in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Mean and median follow-up was 6 months and 4.5 months, respectively, in both groups. No complications or recurrences were seen. Conclusion: No significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ER was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study the impact of the novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on incidence, seasonal variation, clinical presentation, and disease outcome of epidemic retinitis (ER) and to compare clinical outcomes with positive and negative COVID-19 serology. Methods: This is a retrospective, observational study conducted at a tertiary eye care hospital from August 2020 to June 2022. A graph of ER cases against the month of presentation was compared with the graph of the COVID-19 pandemic in the same region. Cases presented before COVID-19 vaccination, with positive COVID-19 serology (Group 1) were compared with cases with negative serology (Group 2). Results: One hundred and thirty-two cases of ER were seen. The least number of cases were seen during and immediately after the peak of the pandemic (May 2021–August 2021). COVID-19 serology was positive in 13 (22 eyes)/60 (21.6%) unvaccinated cases. Along with COVID-19, positive serology for other ER etiologies was seen in 5/13 cases (38.4%). All patients received oral doxycycline with/without steroids. Groups 1 and 2 included 22 and 21 eyes of 13 cases each. Macular edema resolved in 43.6 and 32 days in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Retinitis resolved at 1 month in both groups. Corrected distant visual acuity was 20/50 and 20/70 at the presentation, which improved to 20/20 and 20/25 in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Mean and median follow-up was 6 months and 4.5 months, respectively, in both groups. No complications or recurrences were seen. Conclusion: No significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ER was observed.

Purpose: To study the clinical presentation and treatment outcome of epidemic retinitis (ER) during pregnancy. Methods: This is a retrospective, observational chart review of pregnant patients diagnosed with ER from January 2014 to February 2023. Demographic details, month of pregnancy at the onset of ocular symptoms, history of present illness, clinical manifestations, and treatment outcomes were studied. Results: In 9 years, ER was seen in 86 females, of whom 12 (13.9%) were pregnant. Twenty-one eyes of those 12 patients were studied. Most of the patients presented in the sixth month of pregnancy (range: 5–9 months, mean: 6.3 months). Physicians diagnosed viral exanthematous fever in six, typhoid in three, and suspected rickettsia in one patient. Medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) was performed in two patients before presentation. Weil–Felix test was positive in five, Brucella in one, WIDAL in three, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) IgG and dengue IgG in one patient each. Oral antibiotics were given in five patients (two post-medical termination of pregnancy [MTP]) for the retinitis. All except four received oral steroids. Mean presenting corrected distant visual acuity (n = 21) was 20/125 (range: 20/20–20/20,000), which improved to (n = 18) 20/30 (range: 20/20–20/240). Macular edema (n = 11) resolved in 33.18 days (range: 20–50 days), and retinitis (n = 13) resolved in 58 days (range: 30–110 days). Ocular and systemic examination of newborn was possible in two and the babies were normal. Conclusion: ER is seen commonly at the beginning of the third trimester. Lack of antibiotics may delay the resolution of retinitis. Ocular health needs to be assessed in larger series to conclude absence of retinal involvement in newborns.

Purpose: The objective was to study the positivity of the Weil–Felix test (WFT) in epidemic retinitis (ER) during the course of the disease. Methods: This is a retrospective, observational case series of patients diagnosed with ER and presented to a tertiary eye care hospital in south India. Patients with positive WFT at the presentation, and who underwent a follow-up WFT during or after the resolution of ER were studied from September 2019 to March 2022. Patient's demographics, timings of clinical presentation and resolution, and investigation details with a special focus on WFT positivity and its duration were noted. Results: Sixteen patients were studied. Patients presented after 5 weeks of the fever (range: 2-12 weeks, median: 4). After 1-2 months, WFT was still positive in eight patients (50%). Only in one patient titers increased after 1 month, while in others, the titers decreased (n = 11) or remained the same (n = 4). Repeated tests in those patients (n = 6) after 3-4 months turned negative. Resolution of ER was seen at 1.35 months (range: 1-3 months) after the presentation. The mean duration for WFT to turn negative was 2 months from the presentation (range: 1-4 months) or 3.2 months of the fever (range: 1.5-6 months). Conclusion: In contrast to the reported physician's observation of increasing titers of WFT after rickettsial fever, ophthalmologists may observe decreasing WFT titers in ER. The clinical resolution of ER may precede the normalization of WFT. Follow-up WFT titers should be studied in larger series in confirmed cases of rickettsial-ER to validate the affordable and readily available WFT in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify factors other than macular edema and retinitis location responsible for poor visual outcomes in epidemic retinitis (ER). Methods: A retrospective, observational, comparative study. Eyes with corrected distant visual acuity (CDVA) 20/200 or worse at resolution formed Group A. Eyes with central macular thickness (CMT) 600 μm or worse and retinitis within 1500 μm to foveal center at the presentation, but improved to CDVA 20/200 or better at the resolution formed Group B. The patient's history, clinical presentation, imaging, and treatment outcomes were studied and the factors responsible for the final visual outcomes were compared in both groups. Results: Groups A and B included 25 eyes each. The mean CDVA at the presentation was 20/400 (range: 20/125–20000) and 20/320 (range: 20/80–20000), and mean CMT at the presentation was 948.5 μm (range: 520–1553) and 912.2 μm (range: 615–1250) in Groups A and B, respectively. All eyes except 1 (Group A) had retinitis lesions within 1500 μm of foveal center. The mean CDVA at the resolution was 20/400 (range: 20/200–20/20000) and 20/40 (range: 20/20–20/80) in Groups A and B, respectively. Older age, male gender, diabetic status, delayed presentation, poor presenting CDVA, bilaterality, presence of keratic precipitates, disk pallor, retinal thinning, and subfoveal deposits had a statistically significant association, whereas the absence of skin rash, ellipsoid zone loss, negative WIDAL, Weil-Felix test, and delayed doxycycline therapy or use of steroids without doxycycline had a statistically insignificant association with poor visual outcomes. Conclusion: Apart from presenting CMT and location of retinitis, multiple demographic, clinical, and imaging factors can be implicated for poor visual outcomes.

To compare clinical manifestations and disease outcomes in Epidemic Retinitis (ER) with positive or negative Weil Felix Test (WFT). Retrospective, observational, comparative study. WFT positive or negative patients formed Group 1 and 2, respectively. Patients receiving oral doxycycline monotherapy formed subgroup A and B. Duration of resolution of macular edema and retinitis was compared. Novel finding of "ring retinitis" was observed equally in group 1 and 2. Complete resolution of macular edema took 41.3 days (range: 30–60 days) and 43.68 days (range: 20–105 days) (p =.668) and retinitis lesions resolved in 34.3 days (range: 14–65 days) and 34 days (range: 12–60 days) (p =.875) in group A and B, respectively. All (n = 14) eyes with retinitis within 1 disc diameter of fovea improved better than 20/80 except 1. No significant difference with respect to clinical, imaging findings and the treatment outcome was observed in WFT positive or negative cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify factors other than macular edema and retinitis location responsible for poor visual outcomes in epidemic retinitis (ER).Methods: A.retrospective, observational, comparative study. Eyes with corrected distant visual acuity (CDVA) 20/200 or worse at resolution formed Group A. Eyes with central macular thickness (CMT) 600 μm or worse and retinitis within 1500 μm to foveal center at the presentation, but improved to CDVA 20/200 or better at the resolution formed Group B. The patient's history, clinical presentation, imaging, and treatment outcomes were studied and the factors responsible for the final visual outcomes were compared in both groups.Results: Groups A and B included 25 eyes each. The mean CDVA at the presentation was 20/400 (range: 20/125-20000) and 20/320 (range: 20/80-20000), and mean CMT at the presentation was 948.5 μm (range: 520-1553) and 912.2 μm (range: 615-1250) in Groups A and B, respectively. All eyes except 1 (Group A) had retinitis lesions within 1500 μm of foveal center. The mean CDVA at the resolution was 20/400 (range: 20/200-20/20000) and 20/40 (range: 20/20-20/80) in Groups A and B, respectively. Older age, male gender, diabetic status, delayed presentation, poor presenting CDVA, bilaterality, presence of keratic precipitates, disk pallor, retinal thinning, and subfoveal deposits had a statistically significant association, whereas the absence of skin rash, ellipsoid zone loss, negative WIDAL, Weil-Felix test, and delayed doxycycline therapy or use of steroids without doxycycline had a statistically insignificant association with poor visual outcomes.Conclusion: Apart from presenting CMT and location of retinitis, multiple demographic, clinical, and imaging factors can be implicated for poor visual outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study efficacy of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) in resolution of macular edema in epidemic retinitis (ER). Methods: In this retrospective, comparative study, patients diagnosed as ER with central macular thickness (CMT) ≥ 600 μm on SD-OCT at presentation were studied. Eyes which did not receive intravitreal anti-VEGF formed group A and eyes receiving additional anti-VEGF formed group B. Eyes receiving anti-VEGF monotherapy were studied separately. Cases with subsequent OCT scans with interval of more than 20 days and cases without OCT scan at the resolution were excluded. Treatment details, visual outcome, and days to resolution of macular edema were studied. Results: Mean CMT in group A (n = 8) was 820.1 μm (range 607-1004 μm) and in Group B (n = 4) was 756.0 μm (range 603-1000 μm). Macular edema resolved in 34.8 days (range: 16-65) and 39.0 days (range: 21–45) in group A and B, respectively. Two eyes with anti-VEGF monotherapy recovered in 45 and 18 days, respectively. Mean corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) at presentation in group A was 19.1 (range: 0–61) ETDRS letters and in group B was 14.3 (range: 0–35) ETDRS letters. Mean CDVA improved to 65.7 (range: 0–85) and 50.8 (range: 20–76) ETDRS letters in group A and B, respectively. Anti-VEGF monotherapy eyes improved from 35 and 46 ETDRS letters to 70 and 85 ETDRS letters, respectively. Conclusion: Additional anti-VEGF therapy has no added advantage in speed of resolution of macular edema due to ER. A randomized controlled trial with steroids sparing “anti-VEGF monotherapy” may verify our observations.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to correlate seasonal variation of epidemic retinitis (ER) with concurrent community outbreaks. Methods: This is a retrospective, observational, comparative study conducted in a tertiary care eye hospital in south India. Monthly variation in number of ER cases in comparison with reported community outbreaks by Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) from 2009 to 2020 in the same region were studied. Month-wise graphs against number of patients were plotted for ER and for each community outbreak. Results: ER was diagnosed in 163 patients. Diagnosis of presumed rickettsial ER was made in 48 cases (29.44%), chikungunya in 5, dengue in 3 and typhoid in 6 cases, while in other cases the etiological diagnosis remained uncertain (n = 101). Multiple positive serological tests were seen in 6 patients (Weil Felix Test (WFT) with WIDAL in 4 and chikungunya IgM with WFT in 2 patients). Relevant reported outbreaks by IDSP were: Pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) (n = 5148), Chikungunya (n = 6577), Dengue (n = 7350), Measles (n = 1422), Mumps (n = 881), Rubella (n = 288), Malaria (n = 2262), Chicken Pox (n = 2385), Typhoid (n = 597), Kyasanur Forest Disease (n = 381), Scrub Typhus (n = 13), Typhus fever (n = 4), Japanese Encephalitis (n = 15). None of the outbreak graphs pattern was identical or similar to the graph of ER. Inverse relation of the graph of dengue outbreak with ER was observed. Conclusion: Inverse correlation between dengue and ER should be further studied for causation, which we believe may prove dengue as least common cause. Reporting of rickettsial outbreaks should be enhanced by undertaking statewide awareness and procurement of gold standard tests.

Purpose: To describe the demographics, clinical features, and treatment outcomes with systemic steroids in eyes presenting with post-fever retinitis (PFR) from Central India. Methods: Single-center, retrospective analysis of 147 eyes of 98 PFR cases between 2011 and 2019. Results: Mean age of the study cohort was 33.46 ± 12.76 years, with 72 males and 26 females. The mean interval between the onset of fever and the diminution of vision was 21.10 ± 13.54 days (range 0–60 days). The number of PFR cases increased over the nine years with 89 cases (90.1%) presenting during winters. Unilateral involvement was seen in 49 cases, while 49 had bilateral involvement. Clinical characteristics included: multifocal retinitis (n = 122; 61.2%), hemorrhages (n = 132; 89.8%), disc edema (n = 57; 38.8%), anterior chamber reaction (n = 28; 19%), and vitritis (n = 103; 70.1%). Treatment included intravenous followed by oral steroids in 70 patients and oral steroids exclusively in 23; five patients denied treatment. The visual acuity improved from 1.09 ± 0.52 LogMAR to 0.29 ± 0.42 LogMAR (p < 0.05). Conclusion: There has been an increase in the prevalence of PFR cases over the last decade with clustering during the winters. Multifocal retinitis, retinal hemorrhages, and vitritis were the most common clinical findings in our series. The retinitis resolved with improvement in vision following steroid therapy in all eyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe composite multicolour (MC) imaging features along with the monocoloured fundus reflectance images in active and resolving stages of post-fever retinitis (PFR). Methods: Retrospective image analysis of cases of PFR who underwent dilated retinal clinical examination followed by optical coherence tomography and MC imaging. Results: Twenty-five eyes of 18 patients diagnosed with PFR were included. There were 11 males and 7 females. Mean age of patients was 30.63 years. The retinitis lesion appeared bright white on MC image and white mainly on blue and green reflectance images during the active stages of PFR. The lesion appeared dull-grey to greyish white during the resolving stages and as dull-green in resolved cases. The active stages showed the presence of intraretinal/subretinal fluid which appeared as green colour on MC images and less green to normal during resolving stages. Hard exudates were seen as bright yellow- or orange-coloured spots on MC image during the resolving stages of the disease. Conclusion: The different stages of PFR show different colour on multicolour image and different reflectance patterns on individual colour reflectance channels. Hence, multimodal fundus imaging with different wavelength can be helpful for differentiation of activity in PFR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study treatment outcomes with and without oral corticosteroids in epidemic retinitis (ER).Method: A retrospective, observational study of 35 eyes of 29 patients diagnosed as ER. Days taken for resolution of macular edema and retinitis lesions were compared in patients treated with oral antibiotics (Group 1) and with corticosteroids-antibiotics combination (Group 2).Result: Eighteen eyes of 14 patients and 17 eyes of 15 patients formed Groups 1 and 2, respectively. At the presentation, mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 40 and 44 letters and mean central macular thickness was 648 (±243) and 626 (±256) microns in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. Macular edema resolved in 30.83 and 31.94 days; retinitis lesions resolved in 36.71 and 41.41 days in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. BCVA improved to 74 and 77 letters in Groups 1 and 2, respectively.Conclusion: ER with macular edema can be well managed without corticosteroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To study the clinical features, optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings, treatment options and follow-up outcomes of post-fever retinitis (PFR). Subjects: A total of 19 eyes of 13 patients, diagnosed with PFR (retinitis following febrile episode) over 2 years were retrospectively studied. Methods: Documented history, baseline clinical features and systemic investigations performed for PFR were reviewed. Fundus findings, foveal architecture on swept-source OCT, the treatment options and the follow-up outcomes including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) were reviewed and analyzed. Results: Common fundus findings included whitish retinitis lesions (100%), macular star (95%, 18eyes), retinal flame-shaped hemorrhages (63%, 12 eyes), inflammatory retinal vessels (30%, 6 eyes), vitreous hemorrhage (one eye) and OCT findings included neuro-sensory detachment (79%, 15 eyes), intraretinal white dots (89.5%,17 eyes). The baseline median log MAR BCVA and CFT were 1.30 (interquartile range (IQR):0.8–1.8) and 423 microns (IQR:182–555). Overall, nine patients (12 eyes) received a combination of oral doxycycline and oral steroids and four patients (7 eyes) received a combination of oral doxycycline, oral steroid and intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (IVA). Significant improvement was evident at 8 weeks in median BCVA (0.50, IQR: 0.3–0.8, p < 0.05) and median CFT (223 micron, IQR: 170–256, p < 0.05) though only 26% (5 eyes) attained BCVA > = 6/12. Conclusion: Our study puts forth certain characteristic fundus and OCT features of PFR. A combination of oral doxycycline and oral steroids as a treatment option showed improvement in BCVA and CFT. Additional IVA helps in faster visual recovery in patients presenting with severe macular edema at onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study efficacy of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) in resolution of macular edema in epidemic retinitis (ER).Methods: In this retrospective, comparative study, patients diagnosed as ER with central macular thickness (CMT) ≥ 600 μm on SD-OCT at presentation were studied. Eyes which did not receive intravitreal anti-VEGF formed group A and eyes receiving additional anti-VEGF formed group B. Eyes receiving anti-VEGF monotherapy were studied separately. Cases with subsequent OCT scans with interval of more than 20 days and cases without OCT scan at the resolution were excluded. Treatment details, visual outcome, and days to resolution of macular edema were studied.Results: Mean CMT in group A (n = 8) was 820.1 μm (range 607-1004 μm) and in Group B (n = 4) was 756.0 μm (range 603-1000 μm). Macular edema resolved in 34.8 days (range: 16-65) and 39.0 days (range: 21-45) in group A and B, respectively. Two eyes with anti-VEGF monotherapy recovered in 45 and 18 days, respectively. Mean corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) at presentation in group A was 19.1 (range: 0-61) ETDRS letters and in group B was 14.3 (range: 0-35) ETDRS letters. Mean CDVA improved to 65.7 (range: 0-85) and 50.8 (range: 20-76) ETDRS letters in group A and B, respectively. Anti-VEGF monotherapy eyes improved from 35 and 46 ETDRS letters to 70 and 85 ETDRS letters, respectively.Conclusion: Additional anti-VEGF therapy has no added advantage in speed of resolution of macular edema due to ER. A randomized controlled trial with steroids sparing "anti-VEGF monotherapy" may verify our observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of this study was to correlate seasonal variation of epidemic retinitis (ER) with concurrent community outbreaks.Methods: This is a retrospective, observational, comparative study conducted in a tertiary care eye hospital in south India. Monthly variation in number of ER cases in comparison with reported community outbreaks by Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) from 2009 to 2020 in the same region were studied. Month-wise graphs against number of patients were plotted for ER and for each community outbreak.Results: ER was diagnosed in 163 patients. Diagnosis of presumed rickettsial ER was made in 48 cases (29.44%), chikungunya in 5, dengue in 3 and typhoid in 6 cases, while in other cases the etiological diagnosis remained uncertain (n = 101). Multiple positive serological tests were seen in 6 patients (Weil Felix Test (WFT) with WIDAL in 4 and chikungunya IgM with WFT in 2 patients). Relevant reported outbreaks by IDSP were: Pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) (n = 5148), Chikungunya (n = 6577), Dengue (n = 7350), Measles (n = 1422), Mumps (n = 881), Rubella (n = 288), Malaria (n = 2262), Chicken Pox (n = 2385), Typhoid (n = 597), Kyasanur Forest Disease (n = 381), Scrub Typhus (n = 13), Typhus fever (n = 4), Japanese Encephalitis (n = 15). None of the outbreak graphs pattern was identical or similar to the graph of ER. Inverse relation of the graph of dengue outbreak with ER was observed.Conclusion: Inverse correlation between dengue and ER should be further studied for causation, which we believe may prove dengue as least common cause. Reporting of rickettsial outbreaks should be enhanced by undertaking statewide awareness and procurement of gold standard tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To study the clinical features, optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings, treatment options and follow-up outcomes of post-fever retinitis (PFR). Subjects: A total of 19 eyes of 13 patients, diagnosed with PFR (retinitis following febrile episode) over 2 years were retrospectively studied. Methods: Documented history, baseline clinical features and systemic investigations performed for PFR were reviewed. Fundus findings, foveal architecture on swept-source OCT, the treatment options and the follow-up outcomes including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) were reviewed and analyzed. Results: Common fundus findings included whitish retinitis lesions (100%), macular star (95%, 18eyes), retinal flame-shaped hemorrhages (63%, 12 eyes), inflammatory retinal vessels (30%, 6 eyes), vitreous hemorrhage (one eye) and OCT findings included neuro-sensory detachment (79%, 15 eyes), intraretinal white dots (89.5%,17 eyes). The baseline median log MAR BCVA and CFT were 1.30 (interquartile range (IQR):0.8-1.8) and 423 microns (IQR:182-555). Overall, nine patients (12 eyes) received a combination of oral doxycycline and oral steroids and four patients (7 eyes) received a combination of oral doxycycline, oral steroid and intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (IVA). Significant improvement was evident at 8 weeks in median BCVA (0.50, IQR: 0.3-0.8, p < 0.05) and median CFT (223 micron, IQR: 170-256, p < 0.05) though only 26% (5 eyes) attained BCVA > = 6/12. Conclusion: Our study puts forth certain characteristic fundus and OCT features of PFR. A combination of oral doxycycline and oral steroids as a treatment option showed improvement in BCVA and CFT. Additional IVA helps in faster visual recovery in patients presenting with severe macular edema at onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characteristics and course of known seasonal diseases of pre-coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic era may or may not change during the pandemic. Labelling COVID-19 as a novel etiology for those seasonal diseases or considering it as coinfection is debatable. Appropriate investigations are required to rule out previously known etiologies before correlating it with COVID-19. Epidemic retinitis (ER) or post fever retinitis is one such entity with seasonal variation. Multiple seropositivity for various organisms has been reported for ER during pre-pandemic era. This may significantly increase during the pandemic as the possibility of coinfection with COVID-19 is high. In the absence of gold-standard tests to exclude previously reported causes of ER, one should not undermine the possible coinfection before considering ER as post-COVID-19 syndrome. A study of incidence and pattern of seasonal variation of ER before and during the pandemic is needed before presumptively associating it with COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

to respond to comments on our case report on COVID associated neuroretititis We gathered up to date statistics about the prevalence and incidence of epidemic retinitis in Iran and specifically our region, north-east of Iran Our response to Kawal et al comments includes 3 items. First, the PCR result of the vitreous specimen was positive for COVID-19. Secondly, the clinical course of the patient's illness was typically similar to our numerous COVID patients and we were in the middle of the second peak of COVID at the time. Thirdly, although other causes of epidemic retinitis such as west nile river are relatively rare in our region, we had a significant rise in the incidence of epidemic retinitis in the peak of COVID. So, the most probable cause may be COVID-19. Although the ocular findings of our patient was similar to epidemic retinitis caused by other well-known organisms, we believe that based on positive vitreous sample PCR for COVID, typical clinical course of systemic illness, being in the peak of COVID pandemic with significant increase of similar patients during this period, our patient had COVID associated neuroretinitis/ epidemic retinitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we have witnessed increase in number of reports of a known uveitic entity being associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Causal relation is yet to be proven for many reports. Perhaps, occurrence of a previously known region-specific endemic disease or closely resembling manifestations of a known disease in a non-endemic region during the COVID-19 pandemic might suggest a causal relationship. Epidemic retinitis (ER) or post fever retinitis is such condition with geographic variation. Occurrence of ER or ER-like manifestations in a non-endemic country during the pandemic should instigate further studies to consider SARS-CoV-2 as a causative organism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study demography, seasonal variation, clinical presentation, and treatment outcome of "retinitis post febrile illness." (RpFI) Method: Case records of patients diagnosed as RpFI, from July 2009 to May 2017 were studied retrospectively. Patients with complete follow up were evaluated for treatment and visual outcomes. Results: Two hundred and five eyes of 119 patients were studied. The peak incidence of RpFI was from November to March each year. Diagnosis of fever largely remained unknown. Chikungunya IgM, Dengue IgM, and Weil-Felix test was positive in 22.22%, 15.38%, and 39.75%, respectively, in investigated cases. The mean visual acuity at presentation and at resolution was 20/63 and 20/32, respectively, in 122 eyes with complete follow up. Conclusion: We suggest a term "Epidemic Retinitis" for RpFI due to its seasonal variation and to differentiate it from other sporadic forms of retinitis. Although RpFI has aggressive presentation, it resolves over 3-4 months and the overall visual outcome is satisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epidemic retinitis occurs seasonally following febrile infections in endemic regions. Rift valley fever (RVF) is endemic to Sudan, with a recent outbreak starting in 2019., Methods: Retrospective case series of 3 patients travelling from Sudan with post-febrile retinitis, and with a history and clinical picture suggestive of RVF retinitis., Results: The three patients were adult males with underlying medical conditions and underwent fundus fluorescein angiography that confirmed bilateral retinitis and occlusive vasculitis involving the posterior pole. Optical coherence tomography showed distortion of the macular layers. Case 2 presented 1 month following febrile illness and had retinal thinning, with optical coherence tomography angiography showing marked reduction in vessel density., Conclusion: We present multimodal imaging data of three cases with presumed RVF retinitis from a recent outbreak in Sudan. The unavailability of standardized methods of testing for RVF, as is the case for most epidemic retinitis-causing pathogens, makes the diagnosis challenging.