[Ocular tuberculosis]

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is considered a public health problem in several countries. This disease is classified as either pulmonary or extrapulmonary. Within the extrapulmonary disease, ocular involvement is uncommon but it is important to recognize it because its incidence has been reported up to 1%. Ocular TB cases can be divided in primary and secondary. These manifestations can be caused by an active infection that invades the eye or by an immunologic reaction of delayed hypersensitivity in absence of the infectious agent. The most common clinical presentations are: chronic anterior uveitis, choroiditis and sclerokeratitis. Despite the existence of highly sensitive molecular diagnostic techniques, the diagnosis of ocular tuberculosis continues to be presumptive, based upon clinical presentation, systemic evaluation and response to treatment. For the treatment we use four drugs during a two month period (isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol) and two drugs for four additional months.