Rare case of bilateral blindness caused by Streptococcus dysgalactiae spp equisimilis endophthalmitis in the setting of meningitis

BMJ Case Rep. 2022 Dec 5;15(12):e251939. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2022-251939.

Abstract

Endogenous endophthalmitis (EE) is a rare infectious disease of the intraocular tissues with a major risk of significant visual loss. We describe a case of a female patient who presented with altered mental status and vision loss. The patient was found to have bacteraemia, meningitis and bilateral EE caused by Streptococcus dysgalactiae spp equisimilis The patient was clinically stabilised but continued to demonstrate profound visual loss at 5-month follow-up. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of this organism causing meningitis complicated by EE. Furthermore, this infection may have heralded a diagnosis of cancer.

Keywords: Colon cancer; Infectious diseases; Meningitis; Ophthalmology.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Blindness / etiology
  • Endophthalmitis* / complications
  • Endophthalmitis* / diagnosis
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Meningitis* / complications
  • Meningitis* / diagnosis
  • Streptococcal Infections* / complications
  • Streptococcal Infections* / diagnosis
  • Streptococcal Infections* / drug therapy

Supplementary concepts

  • Streptococcus dysgalactiae
  • Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis
  • Streptococcus canis