Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To characterize and analyze the white retinal lesions associated with Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF), a rickettsial infection. Methods: Twenty eight patients (56 eyes) with mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination, including ophthalmoscopy, and fluorescein angiography. Results: Twelve eyes of 10 patients (43%) had white retinal lesions including focal areas of retinitis 4, small round intraretinal infiltrates 10, white-centered retinal hemorrhages 2, cotton-wool spots 2, inner retinal whitening due to branch retinal artery occlusion 1, and hard exudates 1. Conclusion: MSF leads to a wide variety of inflammatory or ischemic white retinal lesions. It needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of white dot syndromes, focal retinitis, white-centered retinal hemorrhages, and branch retinal arteriolar and venular occlusions in patients living in, or travelling from endemic areas.
Keywords: 568 retinitis • 328 bacterial disease