Ocular syphilis masquerading as refractory retinal diseases
Abstract Purpose To report two cases of syphilis masquerading as chronic refractory macular diseases. Case descriptions Two patients had been diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (neovascular AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME), respectively. The disease worsened despite rep...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-02-01
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| Series: | BMC Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-023-08739-2 |
| _version_ | 1797275708719890432 |
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| author | Sung Who Park Kye-Hyung Kim Han Jo Kwon Ik Soo Byon Youan Hasan Khan Quan Dong Nguyen |
| author_facet | Sung Who Park Kye-Hyung Kim Han Jo Kwon Ik Soo Byon Youan Hasan Khan Quan Dong Nguyen |
| author_sort | Sung Who Park |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Purpose To report two cases of syphilis masquerading as chronic refractory macular diseases. Case descriptions Two patients had been diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (neovascular AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME), respectively. The disease worsened despite repeated intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and also surgical treatment (in suspected case of DME). Systemic evaluations were positive for syphilis. Intravenous penicillin was started, and the macular diseases improved. The lesions were well controlled afterward. Conclusions The current two cases demonstrated that ocular syphilis can masquerade as refractory chronic retinal diseases such as DME and neovascular AMD. Laboratory evaluations for syphilis may be needed, not only for uveitis but also for refractory retinal diseases. Indocyanine green angiography may be helpful to reveal occult syphilis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:18:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf3a0dadad754f5cbe39848036c570be |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2334 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:18:23Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf3a0dadad754f5cbe39848036c570be2024-03-05T17:48:53ZengBMCBMC Infectious Diseases1471-23342024-02-012411710.1186/s12879-023-08739-2Ocular syphilis masquerading as refractory retinal diseasesSung Who Park0Kye-Hyung Kim1Han Jo Kwon2Ik Soo Byon3Youan Hasan Khan4Quan Dong Nguyen5Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Pusan National UniversityDepartment of Infection, School of Medicine, Pusan National UniversityDepartment of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Pusan National UniversityDepartment of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Pusan National UniversitySpencer Center for Vision Research, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford UniversitySpencer Center for Vision Research, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford UniversityAbstract Purpose To report two cases of syphilis masquerading as chronic refractory macular diseases. Case descriptions Two patients had been diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (neovascular AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME), respectively. The disease worsened despite repeated intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and also surgical treatment (in suspected case of DME). Systemic evaluations were positive for syphilis. Intravenous penicillin was started, and the macular diseases improved. The lesions were well controlled afterward. Conclusions The current two cases demonstrated that ocular syphilis can masquerade as refractory chronic retinal diseases such as DME and neovascular AMD. Laboratory evaluations for syphilis may be needed, not only for uveitis but also for refractory retinal diseases. Indocyanine green angiography may be helpful to reveal occult syphilis.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-023-08739-2Age related macular degenerationChoroidal neovascularizationOcular syphilisSyphilisDiabetic macular edemaLatent syphilis |
| spellingShingle | Sung Who Park Kye-Hyung Kim Han Jo Kwon Ik Soo Byon Youan Hasan Khan Quan Dong Nguyen Ocular syphilis masquerading as refractory retinal diseases BMC Infectious Diseases Age related macular degeneration Choroidal neovascularization Ocular syphilis Syphilis Diabetic macular edema Latent syphilis |
| title | Ocular syphilis masquerading as refractory retinal diseases |
| title_full | Ocular syphilis masquerading as refractory retinal diseases |
| title_fullStr | Ocular syphilis masquerading as refractory retinal diseases |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ocular syphilis masquerading as refractory retinal diseases |
| title_short | Ocular syphilis masquerading as refractory retinal diseases |
| title_sort | ocular syphilis masquerading as refractory retinal diseases |
| topic | Age related macular degeneration Choroidal neovascularization Ocular syphilis Syphilis Diabetic macular edema Latent syphilis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-023-08739-2 |
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