Varicella-Zoster Virus Retinitis: Successful Evolution with a Combination of Antiviral Therapies

Abstract

VZV ARN is a severe infection with a poor prognosis. This case demonstrates that combination of antiviral therapies given intravenously (acyclovir + foscarnet) and in the vitreous (ganciclovir) may be safe and efficacious in the management of necrotising herpetic retinopathies affecting immunocompetent patients.

HSV2 acute retinal necrosis: diagnosis and monitoring with quantitative polymerase chain reaction

“…Intravitreal therapy (ganciclovir, foscarnet), topical steroids, and mydriatics are considered useful as adjuvant therapy to control infection and inflammation. Although diagnosis is initially clinical, formally microbiological and particularly virological analysis of ocular fluids (AC and/or vitreous) is needed to identify the causative agent and guide therapy [4]. The possible involvement of a herpes-group virus as the causative agent of ARN was first suggested by Culbertson in 1982, after histopathological and electron microscopy evaluation of an enuclated eye [5].…”

Akute Retinanekrose

“…Foscarnet zeigt eine gute Wirksamkeit gegen alle Herpesviren sowie gegen einige Retroviren wie HIV [14,35]. Im Gegensatz zum Aciclovir liegt Foscarnet als Pyrophosphatanalogon direkt in seiner aktiven Form vor.…”