Bartonella henselae infection presenting as a unilateral panuveitis simulating Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome

Am J Ophthalmol. 2004 Dec;138(6):1063-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2004.06.036.

Abstract

Purpose: To report an unusual ocular manifestation of cat scratch disease.

Design: Observational case report.

Methods: Review of the clinical, laboratory, photographic, and angiographic records of a patient with cat scratch disease.

Results: A 54-year-old woman presented with counting fingers visual acuity in the right eye associated with optic disk edema, diffuse choroidal thickening, and panuveitis. Fluorescein angiography showed disk leakage and hyperfluorescent spots with late leakage suggestive of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. She was diagnosed with cat scratch disease by serum antibody titers and clinical course.

Conclusions: Ocular manifestations of cat scratch disease can include diffuse thickening of the choroid. Cat scratch disease may manifest with angiographic features suggestive of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Bartonella henselae / immunology
  • Bartonella henselae / isolation & purification*
  • Cat-Scratch Disease / diagnosis*
  • Cat-Scratch Disease / drug therapy
  • Cat-Scratch Disease / microbiology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Doxycycline / therapeutic use
  • Eye Infections, Bacterial / diagnosis*
  • Eye Infections, Bacterial / drug therapy
  • Eye Infections, Bacterial / microbiology
  • Female
  • Fluorescein Angiography
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Panuveitis / diagnosis*
  • Panuveitis / drug therapy
  • Panuveitis / microbiology
  • Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • Visual Acuity

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Doxycycline