Chorioretinitis

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Chorioretinitis
Classification and external resources
Photograph taken of the back of the eye (fundoscopy) of an AIDS patient with chorioretinitis.
ICD-10	H30.9
ICD-9	363.20
DiseasesDB	2613
MeSH	D002825

Ophthalmoscopic findings during vitrectomy. The video shows the whitish cloudy cords and the white retinal spots found during vitrectomy. In a case of placoid chorioretinitis due to Treponema pallidum.

Chorioretinitis is an inflammation of the choroid (thin pigmented vascular coat of the eye) and retina of the eye. It is also known as choroid retinitis.

Symptoms

The symptoms are the presence of floating black spots and blurry vision.

Causes

Chorioretinitis is often caused by toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus infections and mostly affects young children or immunocompromised subjects (such as people with AIDS or Herpes Simplex Virus).^[1] Congenital toxoplasmosis via transplacental transmission can also lead to sequelae such as chorioretinitis along with hydrocephalus and cerebral calcifications. Other possible causes of chorioretinitis are syphilis and onchocerciasis.

Treatment

It is treated with a combination of corticosteroids and antibiotics. If there is an underlying cause such as AIDS, specific therapy can be started as well.

References

Kasper et al., ed (2005). Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine (16th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-140235-7.