Ocular Toxoplasmosis in a Tertiary Referral Center in Sydney Australia-Clinical Features, Treatment, and Prognosis

Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 2019 Jul-Aug;8(4):280-284. doi: 10.1097/APO.0000000000000244.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to provide a retrospective analysis of the presentation, demographics, and treatment regimens for ocular toxoplasmosis at a large tertiary referral uveitis center.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Participants: A total of 48 patients with ocular toxoplasmosis who presented to Sydney Eye Hospital participated in this study.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of patient files who presented to Sydney Eye Hospital between 2007 and 2016 with clinical features consistent with ocular toxoplasmosis. Baseline risk factors and treatment details were recorded and analyzed. Main outcome measures were visual acuity and relapse rate compared with other studies in ocular toxoplasmosis.

Results: The median age was 35.5 (interquartile range 21-50) with 30 (60%) patients having no previous symptomatic episodes or evidence of chorioretinal scarring. Visual acuity at presentation was 0.51 or 6/19 (SE 0.096) and at follow-up 0.31 or 6/12 (SE 0.094). Nine patients experienced a recurrence during the period of observation with median time to recurrence 2.2 years (SE 0.45) and the relapse rate was 0.09/person-years. Location of lesion was predominantly within the vascular arcades (n = 44) with macular involvement in 9 patients. Most patients received clindamycin therapy (n = 34) with pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine was used for those with macula involvement.

Conclusions: Patients with ocular toxoplasmosis had fewer recurrences compared with other published series and had better visual recovery. The majority of patients received clindamycin and oral prednisolone which were well tolerated with pyrimethazine and sulfadiazine reserved for those with macula-involving disease.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Adult
  • Anti-Infective Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / analysis
  • Australia / epidemiology
  • DNA, Protozoan / analysis
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Eye Infections, Parasitic / diagnosis*
  • Eye Infections, Parasitic / drug therapy
  • Eye Infections, Parasitic / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Fluorescein Angiography / methods
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Fundus Oculi
  • Glucocorticoids / administration & dosage*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tertiary Care Centers*
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods
  • Toxoplasma / genetics
  • Toxoplasma / immunology
  • Toxoplasma / isolation & purification
  • Toxoplasmosis, Ocular / diagnosis*
  • Toxoplasmosis, Ocular / drug therapy
  • Toxoplasmosis, Ocular / epidemiology
  • Visual Acuity*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • DNA, Protozoan
  • Glucocorticoids