Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To describe the optic disc involvement observed in patients with Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF), an infectious disease caused by Rickettsia conorii. Methods: The study included 48 patients (96 eyes) with serologically proven MSF at the acute stage. Patients underwent complete ophthalmic examination, including measurement of best–corrected visual acuity, testing of the pupillary function, dilated biomicroscopic fundus examination, visual fields, fundus photography, and fluorescein angiography. The mean follow–up period was 6 months (range, 3–12). Results: Of 48 patients, 23 (47.9%) had unilateral (n = 7) or bilateral (n = 16) optic disc involvement related to MSF. Findings included anterior ischemic optic neuropathy with severe permanent visual loss (1 eye; 1%), optic disc edema without any visual defect (3 eyes; 3.1%), and optic disc staining on fluorescein angiography (35 eyes; 36.5%). Optic disc edema/staining disappeared in all eyes in 3 to 10 weeks. Conclusions: Optic disc involvement is common in patients with acute MSF. Although frequently asymptomatic, it may be associated with permanent visual loss.
Keywords: neuro–ophthalmology: optic nerve • optic disc • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound)