       Document 0504
 DOCN  M9610504
 TI    Progressive outer retinal necrosis (PORN) in AIDS patients: a different
       appearance of varicella-zoster retinitis.
 DT    9601
 AU    Pavesio CE; Mitchell SM; Barton K; Schwartz SD; Towler HM; Lightman S;
       Uveitis and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Clinics,; Moorfields Eye
       Hospital, London, UK.
 SO    Eye. 1995;9 ( Pt 3):271-6. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/96014798
 AB    Retinal infections caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) have been
       reported in immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. Two cases
       of a VZV-related retinitis are described with the characteristic
       features of the recently described progressive outer retinal necrosis
       (PORN) syndrome. Both patients suffered from the acquired
       immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) with greatly reduced peripheral blood
       CD4+ T lymphocyte counts, and presented with macular retinitis without
       vitritis. The disease was bilateral in one case and unilateral in the
       other. The clinical course was rapidly progressive with widespread
       retinal involvement and the development of rhegmatogenous retinal
       detachment with complete loss of vision in the affected eyes despite
       intensive intravenous antiviral therapy. VZV DNA was identified in
       vitreous biopsies, by molecular techniques based on the polymerase chain
       reaction (PCR), in both patients. At present, the use of very high-dose
       intravenous acyclovir may be the best therapeutic option in these
       patients for whom the visual prognosis is poor. Intravitreal antiviral
       drugs could also contribute to the management of these cases.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*COMPLICATIONS  Acyclovir/THERAPEUTIC
       USE  Adult  Antiviral Agents/THERAPEUTIC USE  AIDS-Related Opportunistic
       Infections/*COMPLICATIONS/PATHOLOGY  Case Report  DNA, Viral/ANALYSIS
       Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus/COMPLICATIONS/DRUG THERAPY/PATHOLOGY
       Herpesvirus 3, Human/IMMUNOLOGY/ISOLATION & PURIF  Human  Male  Necrosis
       Polymerase Chain Reaction  Prognosis  Retina/*PATHOLOGY  Retinal
       Detachment/COMPLICATIONS  Retinitis/DRUG THERAPY/PATHOLOGY/*VIROLOGY
       Support, Non-U.S. Gov't  Vitreous Body/VIROLOGY  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

