Clinical features of ocular toxoplasmosis in Korean patients

Abstract

We report here the records of 10 consecutive Korean patients (10 eyes) with ocular toxoplasmosis which showed the typical clinical manifestations with seropositivity for Toxoplasma gondii specific IgG antibodies by micro-ELISA between 2006 and 2010. Nine patients were males and 1 was female; their age was 50.5 ± 13.8 years. The most common accompanying signs were vitritis (100%), anterior uveitis (70%), and scattered white deposit (80%). Pre-existing retinochoroidal scar was found in 1 (10%) patient. All patients received antiparasitic chemotherapy and systemic corticosteroid treatment, which resolved the presenting attack and recovered the visual acuity better than initial one in 9 patients and worse in 1. Optic atrophy, cataract, and retinal neovascularization were observed during the follow-up period and recurrence was detected in 3 eyes (30%) 6 to 20 months after the initial attack. In Korea, although rarely detected and reported, ocular toxoplasmosis needs more attention in clinical field of retinal diseases.

Keywords: IgG-ELISA; Toxoplasma gondii; funduscopy; retinochoroiditis; toxoplasmosis.

Fig. 1

Fundus photographs and fluorescent angiograms of a 50-year-old farmer with active ocular toxoplasmosis on initial presentation (A, B) and after anti-parasitic medications (C, D).

Fig. 2

Fundus photographs, B-mode ultrasonography and retinal optical coherence tomography of a 44-year-old man with retinal detachment associated with active ocular toxoplasmosis. A: initial active retinochoriditis and vitritis, B, C, D: fundus photographs, B-mode ultrasonography and retinal optical coherence tomography showing the retinal detachment. E: postoperative mosaic photograph.

Fig. 3

Fundus photographs and fluorescent angiograms of a 27-year-old soldier with recurrent ocular toxoplasmosis on initial presentation (A), first attack finding (B), and second attack finding (C). Note that recurrent lesions were located near the pre-existing scar.