MULTIMODAL IMAGING OF UNILATERAL IDIOPATHIC MACULAR TELANGIECTASIA TYPE 2: A FIVE-YEAR STUDY

PURPOSE

To report a rare presentation of unilateral macular telangiectasia Type 2 followed up over 5 years.

METHODS

Case report.

RESULTS

A 58-year-old man presented to us with complaints of painless progressive reduction of vision in the right eye for the past 2 years. He had no systemic illnesses. On examination, his best corrected visual acuity was 20/40 in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye. Fundus examination in the right eye revealed loss of foveal reflex along with mild temporal graying of the fovea, and the left eye revealed results within the normal limits. Both eyes showed the presence of peripapillary myelinated nerve fibers. Multimodal imaging findings included spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, optical coherence tomography angiography, fundus autofluorescence, and fundus fluorescein angiogram, which revealed findings suggestive of exudative preproliferative variant of Mac-Tel 2 in the right eye, whereas the left eye was showed results within normal limits. After a follow-up of 5 years, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography revealed no striking differences in both eyes, with no evidence of the disease in his left eye.

CONCLUSION

This report highlights a rare advanced unilateral presentation of Mac-Tel 2 with no evidence of even early signs of the disease in the fellow eye, over a long-term follow-up.

Multimodal imaging of epiretinal neovascularization associated with type 3 macular neovascularization

PURPOSE

To report a case of type 3 macular neovascularization presenting with an epiretinal neovascularization.

METHODS

Case report.

RESULTS

A 65-year-old gentleman presented with complaints of reduced vision in the left eye (LE) having a best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/200. Based on fundus examination and multimodal imaging findings he was diagnosed with type 3 macular neovascularization (MNV). An additional unusual finding was the presence of an epiretinal membrane (ERM) and epiretinal neovascularization (ERN), with the latter finding being confirmed on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). He underwent three doses of intravitreal ranibizumab injection following which there was reduction in the epiretinal vascularity.

CONCLUSIONS

Multimodal imaging of this case highlights the presence of epiretinal neovascularization associated with type 3 MNV, which has not been reported previously.

POLYPOIDAL CHOROIDAL VASCULOPATHY ASSOCIATED WITH SECTOR RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA

PURPOSE

To report a case of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy associated with sector retinitis pigmentosa.

METHODS

Case report.

RESULTS

A 63-years-old woman presented with complaints of having painless progressive reduction of vision in the left eye (LE) for the past 6 months. On examination, her best-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 in the right eye and 20/125 in the LE. Based on fundus examination and multimodal imaging findings, both eyes were diagnosed to have sector retinitis pigmentosa, and an associated active extramacular polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy was seen in the LE. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography also revealed choroidal thinning in both eyes. Patient underwent bevacizumab injection in the LE. At 1-month posttreatment, her best-corrected visual acuity remained stable in the LE, and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography showed reduction in subretinal fluid and size of the polypoidal lesion.

CONCLUSION

Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, a pachychoroid disease, could occur in association with retinitis pigmentosa, in the setting of thin choroids, and multimodal imaging is important to differentiate it from Type-1 macular neovascularization.

PACHYCHOROID DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH GEOGRAPHIC ATROPHY AND SUBRETINAL DRUSENOID DEPOSITS

PURPOSE

To report an atypical case of pachychoroid spectrum disease associated with subretinal drusenoid deposits and geographic atrophy.

METHODS

Case report.

RESULTS

A 67-year-old woman presented for a routine examination. Her best-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes. Based on fundus examination and multimodal imaging findings, the presence of subretinal drusenoid deposits and geographic atrophy was seen in the right eye, which was associated with pachychoroid. The left eye revealed two active polypoidal lesions suggestive of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy with subretinal drusenoid deposits, geographic atrophy, and a thick choroid with dilated outer choroidal vessels. She underwent an intravitreal injection of ranibizumab followed by focal laser to the polypoidal lesion in the left eye. At 3-month posttreatment, her best-corrected visual acuity was maintained at 20/20 in the left eye, with a good anatomical outcome.

CONCLUSION

This case highlights a previously unreported unique association of a pachychoroid disease spectrum with geographic atrophy and with subretinal drusenoid deposits.

Smartphone co-aided cobalt blue anterior segment with intraocular lens photography

In this report, we have utilized a smartphone-based innovative tool named anterior segment photography with an intraocular lens (ASPI) with a cobalt blue filter on the smartphone flash for photographing fluorescein-stained corneas. An intraocular lens along with a cobalt blue filter was attached to the smartphone camera to achieve this purpose. The filter could block out all wavelengths of light except the blue wavelength (450-490 nm) emerging from the smartphone camera. A pilot study was conducted on 27 eyes of 25 patients where images of various corneal pathologies were obtained using ASPI blue light imaging. The images were clear and highly magnified and could be used for documentation, teleconsultation for expert opinion, education, and monitoring of disease progression. ASPI-aided blue light imaging could be easily fabricated and is a frugal inexpensive device, which is used by different ophthalmic personnel to obtain fluorescein-stained corneal images.

Real world outcomes of sutureless and glueless sclerally fixated intraocular lens implantation

PURPOSE

To report the outcomes of sutureless intrascleral fixation of a 3-piece intraocular lens in the ciliary sulcus, in a large cohort of patients with aphakia of various aetiology METHODS: Retrospective, non-comparative, single centre interventional study of 250 aphakic eyes of various causes, which underwent sutureless and glueless intrascleral fixation of 3-piece intraocular lens (IOL). All patients were required to have at least 3 months of follow up post procedure to be included in the study. Anatomical and functional outcomes obtained were statistically analysed for significance.

RESULTS

A total of 250 eyes of 246 patients were included in the study population. The average age was 56.5 years ± 16.4 (range 6-86 years). The mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) significantly improved from 0.74 ± 0.6 logMAR (approx. Snellen equivalent 20/110) to 0.48 ± 0.36 logMAR (approx. Snellen equivalent 20/60), (p < 0.001) following surgery. Early postoperative complication (<2 weeks) included hypotony (n = 10, 4%), ocular hypertension (n = 38,15.2%) and vitreous haemorrhage (n = 50, 20%). Late complications included retinal detachment (n = 14, 5.6%%), cystoid macular oedema (n = 24, 9.6%), scleral erosion (n = 1, 0.4%), haptic extrusion to subconjunctival space (n = 3, 1.2%) and IOL subluxation or dislocation (n = 5, 2%) CONCLUSION: This cost-effective and easier technique of sutureless scleral fixated 3-piece IOL implantation provided good visual acuity outcomes in a large cohort of patients and was well tolerated.

Intraretinal and subretinal fluid in exudative nonproliferative macular telangiectasia type 2

A 62-year-old man presented with complaints of decreased vision in BE. His best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 6/12 in both eyes (BE). Based on his fundus examination and imaging findings, he was diagnosed with BE Macular Telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel 2) and was advised of regular follow-up. Over the course of follow-up, he developed further reduction in vision in the right eye (RE) to 6/24. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) showed the presence of a subfoveal detachment (SFD) with intraretinal cystoid edema. He was diagnosed to have an exudative variant of preproliferative MacTel 2 and underwent three intravitreal injections of bevacizumab in the RE following which there was an improvement in BCVA to 6/12 along with the complete resolution of SFD and IRF on SD-OCT. This report describes a rare case of exudative nonproliferative macular telangiectasia type 2 presenting with the presence of intraretinal fluid.

ATYPICAL CENTRAL SEROUS CHORIORETINOPATHY WITH CHOROIDAL DETACHMENT: A CASE REPORT

PURPOSE

We describe long-term follow-up of a patient with atypical chronic central serous chorioretinopathy with inferior bullous retinal detachment and 360° choroidal detachment, findings on multimodal imaging, differential diagnoses, and treatment.

METHODS

Case report.

RESULTS

A 66-year-old male patient, known case of bilateral chronic central serous chorioretinopathy on follow-up, presented to us with sudden painless worsening of vision in the right eye. The fundus examination, optical coherence tomography, and fundus fluorescein angiography showed an atypical chronic central serous chorioretinopathy with inferior bullous retinal detachment and peripheral choroidal detachment. The patient underwent half-fluence photodynamic therapy in the right eye. At 3 months post-photodynamic therapy, there was resolution of choroidal detachment and minimal subretinal fluid was persisting in the inferior periphery, with improvement in visual acuity.

CONCLUSION

Posterior choroidal loculation of fluid is a described entity in central serous chorioretinopathy. The possible explanations for anterior choroidal loculation of fluid in this case are: either a fresh excessive leakage of fluid from the posterior choroid and that fluid may have traversed to the peripheral choroid, or diffuse choroidal leakage extending up to the equatorial region, which resulted in peripheral choroidal thickening and suprachoroidal fluid accumulation.

The Gimbalscope - A novel smartphone-assisted retinoscopy technique

The authors describe a novel technique of performing retinoscopy assisted with a smartphone (gimbalscope). We found this technique of digital retinoscopy to be useful for demonstrating and documenting retinoscopic reflexes and in addition as an easy teaching tool. This technical report explains the assembly of our smartphone-assisted retinoscope and provides examples of the range of normal and abnormal reflexes that can be captured.

Rapid Office-Based Diagnosis of Demodex Using an Innovative Smartphone-Aided Intraocular Lens Tool

ABSTRACT

Demodex is an important pathogen causing eyelid and eyelash diseases. This article describes a quick, efficient, cost-effective office-based imaging of demodex with the help of an intraocular lens (IOL) and smartphone-aided innovated tool. Eyelid photography of a 56-year-old man with suspected demodex infestation was obtained using a 20-diopter (D) IOL over the smartphone camera called as Anterior Segment Photography using IOL (ASPI). A video or photograph of the epilated eyelash was taken using four 30-D IOLs attached to the smartphone camera to form an optical system called IOLSCOPE, which clearly detected the demodex parasite. The importance of ASPI and IOLSCOPE for the rapid office-based diagnosis of demodex pathogen in peripheral health centers devoid of slitlamp and microscopes has been emphasized here.

Potpourri of retinopathies in rare eye disease - A case series

This case series describes the ocular and retinal manifestations of rare eye diseases in systemic syndromes. This observational case series consists of five patients with varied ophthalmic manifestations and documentation of imaging in rare pediatric and adult retinopathies. Two patients had Kearns Sayre syndrome (KSS) based on the classical triad of external ophthalmoplegia, pigmentary retinopathy, and onset before 20 years of age. In one patient of KSS, the mitochondrial retinopathy was seen in an asymmetric pattern, and the second patient presented with KSS after being mis-diagnosed as myasthenia gravis elsewhere. A case of Senior Loken syndrome in pediatric age is described in this series with varied ophthalmic manifestations ranging from retinitis pigmentosa to orbital abscess. This series also enlightens features of Hallervorden Spatz syndrome presenting with bull's eye maculopathy and a case of spino-cerebellar ataxia type 7 presenting with pigmentary retinopathy.

Smartphone Gonioscopy With a Magnifying Intraocular Lens: A Cost-effective Angle Imaging Device

Gonioscopy is an important part of glaucoma diagnosis and management. Imaging and documentation of the anterior chamber angle has been previously performed using slit-lamp-assisted photography or using smartphones with or without an attached macro lens. Smartphones have transformed ophthalmic imaging by virtue of their availability, easy use, and portability. In this report, the authors aim to demonstrate gonio-imaging using a smartphone attached with an intraocular lens which behaves like a macro lens. With the patient in a sitting position or in the supine position, a goniolens is placed on the patient's cornea. A smartphone with a 10 D intraocular lens attachment over its camera is used to take images or videos of the anterior chamber angle with high magnification. This imaging modality is cost-effective and can be used for screening and photographic documentation of the angle, and can be of immense benefit, especially in primary health care centers.

Slit-lamp based intraocular lens microscope - A novel technique of rapid office-based microscopy

The emergence of smartphone-based imaging devices has been a boon in the field of ophthalmology, especially in obtaining high-quality ocular images. They can be specialized and utilized for imaging-specific regions of the eye. Among the multitude of applications of smartphone-based imaging, one of the upcoming major use is to image the microbiological world. Previous few reports have described attaching magnifying lenses of various types to the smartphone camera and transforming it into a microscope for imaging fungal hyphae and ocular surface parasites. We describe a novel technique of attaching the smartphone-based intraocular lens microscope (IOLSCOPE) to the slit lamp, thereby utilizing the slit lamp joystick for moving the smartphone over the concerned slide specimen to make it steady and obtain images of high resolution. This innovative do-it-yourself novel modification is especially useful in peripheral centers, vision centers, and local clinics for immediate screening and identification of microbial pathogens such as fungi and ocular surface parasites.

Multimodal imaging including optical coherence tomography angiography of benign familial fleck retina

A 44-year-old woman presented with complaints of pain in the right eye (RE). Fundus examination revealed disc edema in the RE along with retinal flecks sparing the macula in both eyes (BE). Fundus autofluorescence demonstrated a symmetrical pattern of white flecks in BE. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) revealed the lesions at the level of retinal pigment epithelium with impingement onto the outer retina. SD-OCT angiography through the flecks revealed hyperreflective lesions at the level of avascular retina. RE B-scan revealed a T-sign. Based on these findings, she was diagnosed with BE benign familial fleck retina (BFFR) with RE posterior scleritis. We describe the multimodal imaging features in a middle-aged patient with BFFR and provide an insight into the probable pathogenesis.

Assessment of retinal manifestations of Parkinson's disease using spectral domain optical coherence tomography: A study in Indian eyes

Purpose:

To assess the retinal manifestations of Parkinson’s disease using optical coherence tomography.

Methods:

A prospective case-control study comparing 30 eyes from 15 patients with Parkinson’s disease and 22 eyes from 11 healthy age-matched controls. Total macular subfield thickness and the thickness of the ganglion cell layer, nerve fiber layer, and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer were measured with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Results:

The mean age of PD patients was 68.4 years ± 10.64 (range: 46–82) and in the control group was 66.36 ± 5.22 (range: 64–68). The average disease duration in patients with PD was 6.7 ± 2.8 years (range: 2–10 years). The mean best-corrected visual acuity in PD was 20/26 and 20/20 in controls, with P = 0.0059, which was significant. Significant difference was also found in the contrast sensitivity between both groups. Structural differences in the central macular thickness (P = 0.0001), subfield thicknesses in the superior (P = 0.003), inferior (P = 0.001), nasal (P = 0.004), and temporal subfields (P = 0.017) was seen. Severe thinning of the ganglion cell layer was seen in PD patients (P = 0.000) as well as of the nerve fiber layer (P = 0.004). Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber thickness measured showed significant thinning in superotemporal (P = 0.000), superonasal (P = 0.04), inferonasal (P = 0.000), inferotemporal (P = 0.000), nasal (P = 0.000), and temporal quadrants (P = 0.000).

Conclusion:

Visual dysfunction was observed in patients with PD along with structural alterations on OCT, which included macular volumes, ganglion cell layer, and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer.

Photodynamic therapy for peripapillary pachychoroid syndrome—a case report

A 76-year-old man presented with reduced visual acuity in both eyes, more severe in the right eye. His previous medical history included anti–vascular endothelial growth factor treatment, with multiple intravitreal injections in both eyes, and repeated focal laser in the left eye. His best-corrected visual acuity was 20/200 in the right eye and 20/40 in the left eye. Based on fundus examination and multimodal imaging, the patient was diagnosed with pachychoroid disease with peripapillary pachychoroid syndrome in the right eye and nasal macular scarring with late cystoid degeneration in the left eye. He underwent low-fluence photodynamic therapy in both eyes. At 6 months’ follow-up, best-corrected visual acuity improved to 20/120 in the right eye and was maintained at 20/40 in the left eye, with good anatomical outcome.

An extended phenotype of RP1L1 maculopathy - case report

BACKGROUND

To report the ophthalmological findings of a new phenotypical variant of RP1L1 maculopathy in an Indian patient with a homozygous variant in the RP1L1 gene.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A 39-year-old male presented with complaints of disturbance in the central field of vision in both eyes (BE) for a duration of 6 months. He underwent ophthalmic examinations and diagnostic imaging. A complete retinal degeneration panel consisting of 228 genes was evaluated for pathologic variations using next-generation sequencing (NGS), which showed a variant in the RP1L1 gene.

RESULTS

On fundus examination, he was found to have ill-defined foveal mottling in BE. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) showed sub-foveal hyper-reflective deposits and outer retinal layer disruption. A provisional diagnosis of the atypical variant of adult-onset foveomacular vitelliform dystrophy (AOFVD) was made on the basis of clinical, OCT, Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and electrophysiological features. Genetic assessment of the proband revealed the presence of a homozygous base pair deletion in exon 4 of RP1L1 gene (chr8:g.10468194_10468195del), which results in frameshift and premature truncation of the protein 24 amino acids downstream to codon 1138 (p.Lys1138SerfsTer24). This variant was confirmed in the proband's parents by Sanger sequencing. The diagnosis was revised to RP1L1 maculopathy, as the RP1L1 gene variant is most commonly associated with this entity.

CONCLUSION

This report presents the multimodal imaging of a previously unreported phenotype of RP1L1 maculopathy associated with a genetic variant of RP1L1 gene, thereby expanding the spectrum associated with RP1L1 maculopathy.

Pediatric choroidal neovascularization: Etiology and treatment outcomes with anti-vascular endothelial growth factors

PURPOSE

To describe the etiology and treatment outcomes of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in a pediatric population with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF).

METHODS

Retrospective single center interventional case series. A total of 26 eyes of 23 consecutive pediatric patients with CNV of various etiologies were treated with intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF agents.

RESULTS

There were 15 males (65.2%) and eight females (34.8%), diagnosed with CNV during the study period. The mean age at presentation with CNV was 11.7 ± 3.3 years, (range 4-16 years) and the mean follow was 28.1 ± 18 months, (range 8-72 months). Inflammatory CNV was the most common etiology. The mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and mean central macular thickness (CMT) at presentation, were logMAR 0.8 ± 0.3 and 367.6 ± 134.8 µm respectively. At the final visit, CNV in all eyes remained regressed with significant improvement in mean BCVA to logMAR 0.4 ± 0.4 (p < 0.0001) and mean CMT to 242.5 ± 82.4 µm (p < 0.0001). A mean of two intravitreal injections per eye was required for CNV regression.

CONCLUSION

Intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy for pediatric CNV is an effective treatment in majority of affected eyes.

Case report of central retinal artery occlusion following bee sting injury: A possible link?

We report the case of a 54-year-old male who presented with complaints of decreased vision in the left eye (LE). He gave a history of multiple bee stings following which he had an episode of allergic anaphylaxis to the face and neck region for which he was admitted and treated with steroids. On examination, he was found to have LE central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) which was the cause of his reduced vision. This is the first report of a bee sting venom as a cause for CRAO.

Sub-internal limiting membrane hemorrhage as an unusual presentation of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy

We report the two cases who presented with sudden decreased vision and sub-internal limiting membrane (ILM) hemorrhage without a history of Valsalva maneuver, trauma, or hematological disorders. Multimodal imaging revealed the features suggestive of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in addition to the sub-ILM hemorrhage. A provisional diagnosis of sub-ILM hemorrhage secondary to PCV was made and was treated with intravitreal Bevacizumab injection. Treatment resulted in the improved visual acuity along with the resolution of the sub-ILM hemorrhage. These cases highlight the possibility of isolated sub-ILM hemorrhage as a presenting fundus finding in PCV, which is previously unreported. This report also highlights the importance of multimodal imaging in diagnosing chorioretinal disorders with unusual presentation.

Optic Disc Pit Maculopathy: One-Year Outcomes of Pars Plana Vitrectomy with Foveal Sparing Inverted Internal Limiting Membrane Flap

Purpose

To evaluate the anatomical and visual outcomes in optic disc pit maculopathy following pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with inverted internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap

Methods

Retrospective interventional case series of 10 patients diagnosed with serous macular detachment secondary to optic disc pit who underwent PPV with inverted ILM flap and were followed up for a year.

Results

A p-value of less than 0.05 was defined as statistically significant. The mean age of patients was 27.2 ± 10.6 years, preoperatively the mean best-corrected visual acuity of the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution was 0.91 ± 0.42 (approximate Snellen equivalent 20/162), which improved to the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution of 0.58 ± 0.29 (approximate Snellen equivalent 20/76) at end of one year, (p=0.008). The mean central macular thickness was 804.9 ± 294.1 m which improved to 273.4 ± 102.54 m, (p=0.002). After surgery, at end of one year, 60% of patients (6/10) had 15- or more-than-15-letter improvement of vision on Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) visual acuity testing, 20% (2/10) gained a 10-letter improvement and 20% (2/10) retained the same vision.

Conclusion

PPV with inverted ILM flap can be considered as a good approach for the management of serous macular detachment secondary to optic disc pit and produce good anatomical and visual results at one year with stabilization of the disease.

Long-term outcomes of half-fluence photodynamic therapy and eplerenone in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy: A comparative study

AIMS

To compare the long-term outcomes in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC) following half-fluence photodynamic therapy (HF-PDT) and oral eplerenone treatment.

METHODS

This retrospective comparative study included consecutive patients of cCSC treated with either HF-PDT or eplerenone. The treatment outcomes of the two groups were analyzed at 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month post-treatment.

RESULTS

This study included 20 eyes (20 patients) in HF-PDT group, and 18 eyes (18 patients) in eplerenone group. All baseline parameters in HF-PDT and eplerenone groups were comparable including neurosensory detachment height (217.05 ± 140.25 µm vs 178.05 ± 164.24 µm respectively, p = 0.09), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (logMAR 0.24 ± 0.13 vs logMAR 0.46 ± 0.37 respectively, p = 0.1), and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) [427.4 ± 117.4 µm vs 456.38 ± 119.25 µm respectively, p = 0.45]. HF-PDT resulted in complete resolution of neurosensory detachment in higher proportion of eyes compared to eplerenone at each follow-up visits (3 months: 90% vs 27.7%, p = 0; 6 months: 100% vs 61.1%, p = 0.003; and 12 months: 100% vs 70%, p = 0.03) with a significantly shorter duration to resolution (3.3 ± 0.9 months vs 5.8 ± 3.3 months respectively, p = 0.02). Intergroup comparison showed no significant difference between mean BCVA (p = 0.38 at 3 months, p = 0.14 at 6 months, and p = 0.19 at 12 months). Mean SFCT at 12 months of the two groups differed significantly (p = 0.003) due to increased choroidal thickness of eplerenone group.

CONCLUSION

HF-PDT has a superior efficacy to achieve faster, greater and long-lasting resolution of subretinal fluid in cCSC compared to eplerenone therapy.

Multimodal imaging of pigmented paravenous retinochoroidal atrophy

AIM

To describe the multimodal imaging findings of pigmented paravenous retinochoroidal atrophy.

METHODS

A 23-year-old female presented to us for a routine ocular examination. She had a best-corrected visual acuity of 6/6 in both eyes. Anterior segment examination was unremarkable. Fundus examination showed pigmentary changes along the retinal vasculature extending from mid periphery to post-equatorial retina suggesting a diagnosis of pigmented paravenous retinochoroidal atrophy. Swept-source optical coherence tomography of the macula showed choriocapillaris thinning at the mid periphery whereas coherence tomography angiography at the mid periphery showed a relatively normal choriocapillaris vasculature in the early stage of the disease.

CONCLUSION

A relatively normal choriocapillaris structure was seen on ocular coherence tomography angiography which could have been due to a milder form of the disease in a young patient.

Safety of photodynamic therapy involving optic nerve head

We present a case of large peripapillary polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy treated with standard-fluence photodynamic therapy (PDT) as other treatment options were unsuccessful or not justified. Due to large lesion size, treatment spot included part of optic disc also. PDT resulted in regression of polyp and visual improvement (from 20/300 to 20/20) without any collateral damage to optic nerve as evidenced by visual-field test and visual-evoked potential with a follow-up till 2 years. This case highlights the role of PDT as a safe alternative for treatment of large peripapillary lesion, even though the treatment spot encompasses part of the optic nerve head.

Molecular characterization of nosocomial CTX-M type beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae from a tertiary care hospital in south India

CTX-M group of extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBLs) represents a rapidly emerging problem in many countries. The prevalence of nosocomial bla CTX-M-1 producing Enterobacteriaceae strains has not been reported earlier in Indian hospitals. This study describes molecular subtyping of nosocomial bla CTX-M producing strains of Enterobacteriaceae . Polymerase chain reaction with primers specific for bla CTX-M-1 coding genes was used to identify 95 Enterobacteriaceae strains producing bla CTX-M positive isolates. Of the 95 bla CTX-M producing isolates, 45 strains were positive for bla CTX-M-1 . bla CTX-M-1 was found to be most prevalent in Klebsiella strains.

Validation of multiplex PCR strategy for simultaneous detection and identification of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) strategy is described for rapid identification of clinically relevant methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that targets mecA and coagulase genes. In this study, 150 staphylococcal clinical isolates were used that included 40 isolates of MRSA, 55 isolates of methicillin susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), 44 isolates of methicillin susceptible coagulase negative Staphylococcus spp. (MS-CoNS) and 11 isolates of methicillin resistant coagulase negative Staphylococcus spp. (MR-CoNS). Out of 55 S. aureus strains, three strains demonstrated mecA gene, which appeared to be oxacillin sensitive by disc diffusion. When (MS-CoNS) were evaluated, 10 isolates classified as oxacillin sensitive phenotypically, yielded positive results in PCR method. The results for mecA detection by PCR were more consistent with disk susceptibility tests in case of MRSA (100%) and MSSA (95%) isolates. In contrast to above results with MRSA and MSSA, mecA detection by PCR in MS-CoNS showed less correlation with disk susceptibility tests (77%). The results for coag detection by PCR were consistent with phenotypic tests in all isolates.

SHV-28, an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase produced by a clinical isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae in south India

SHV-28, an extended spectrum beta-lactamase from a clinical isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae , had an isoelectric point of 7.6 and a substrate profile showing preferential hydrolysis for cefotaxime over ceftazidime. It differed from SHV-1 by one amino acid substitution. The conserved S-T-F-K and K-T-G motifs were identified by SHV-28 protein sequencing.

Molecular typing of colonizing Streptococcus agalactiae strains by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus PCR (ERIC-PCR) in a Chennai based hospital

Streptococcus agalactiae is reported to be an asymptomatic vaginal colonizer in Indian women, although it is considered one of the major causes of neonatal infections in many European countries. DNA based molecular typing methods are more reliable than the conventional serotyping method for identification and typing of this pathogen. In the present study, we have evaluated genetic diversity among colonizing S. agalactiae strains (n=86) by using a PCR-based genotyping method i.e. Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus PCR (ERIC-PCR). With ERIC-PCR fingerprinting at 60% similarity level in a dendrogram generated by UPGMA cluster analysis, 10 different ERIC groups were identified, which were subdivided into 62 distinct genotypes at ≥ 95% similarity level. Based on these findings, we demonstrate that ERIC-PCR is a simple, rapid, and inexpensive tool with sufficient discriminatory power and is applicable for characterization and genotyping of a large number of clinical isolates of S. agalactiae at molecular level.

Prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Scedosporium apiospermum

Scedosporium apiospermum, the asexual state of Pseudallescheria boydii, is increasingly recognized as an opportunistic pathogen. We report a case of prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by this organism that developed in a patient following cardiac surgery.

Aspergillus endocarditis presenting as femoral artery embolism. Fallberichte. Aspergillus-Endokarditis mit Femoralarterien-Embolie

Fungal valvular endocarditis is an unusual cause of endocarditis, yet very important because of its historically poor prognosis. We report two fatal cases of fungal valvular endocarditis following cardiovascular surgery, presenting as femoral artery embolism. Aspergillus terreus and A. flavus were the causative agents of endocarditis in the two patients. Diagnosis was established very early by culture of the emboli and was confirmed later by isolation of the same Aspergillus species from the resected valve tissue.

Hydatid cyst of the left ventricle of the heart

Hydatid disease of the heart is rare. We report a case of hydatid cyst of left ventricle in a forty year old lady where the diagnosis was made intra-operatively. The transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography showed a mixed echogenic mass arising from the left ventricle. The diagnosis of hydatid cyst was confirmed by the demonstration of scolex and hooklets in the cyst fluid. Hydatid cyst should be a differential diagnosis for a mixed echogenic mass on echocardiography.

Coccidioidomycosis in India: report of a second imported case

We describe a fatal case of imported coccidioidomycosis in India in a 22-year-old male who worked in Tucson, Arizona, approximately four years prior to his illness. The diagnosis was based on the presence of characteristic spherules with endospores in biopsy tissue of lymph nodes, bone and pus from a chronic discharging sinus in the left gluteal region and isolation of Coccidioides immitis in culture. C. immitis is one of the most infectious and virulent fungal pathogens and poses a serious occupational hazard for laboratory personnel, especially in areas where the disease is not endemic. To reduce the role of laboratory-acquired infection, all procedures that involve manipulation of cultures of C. immitis should, whenever possible, be conducted in a biological safety cabinet.

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis with intraspinal extension in a non-immunocompromised host. A case report

A case of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in a 33-year-old, non-immunocompromised male presenting with lower limb paraplegia is reported. The clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and combined medical and surgical management of this rare condition are described.