Anterior Segment Complications of Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus

Background: A significant number of patients with HIV/AIDS can have ocular manifestations. Almost every structure in the eyes can be affected in this condition. Objective: To study various ocular manifestations in the cases known to be infected with HIV. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out including 117 subjects positive for HIV using the purposive sampling method. Their demographic pattern and ocular findings were studied. Findings were recorded in the pro forma developed for the study. Statistics: SPSS ver 14.0 was used for data analysis. The p value of <0.05 was considered as significant. Results: A total of 117 HIV infected cases were included in this study. Among them, 76 (64.95 %) were male and 41 (35.05 %) female. The mean age of the subjects was 30.04 ± 11.32 years. The duration of HIV detection ranged from 1-5 years. Ocular complaints were present in 26.49 % of the subjects. Ocular manifestations were present in 56 % of the patients with complaints and in 27.3 % of asymptomatic patients. Ocular involvement was seen in 55 (47 %) patients. The common anterior segment findings were herpes zoster ophthalmicus (4.27 %), anterior uveitis (2.56 %), blepharitis (2.56 %) and conjunctivitis (1.7 %), whereas HIV retinopathy (19.6 %), CMV retinitis (5.1 %), ocular toxoplasmosis (2.5 %) and presumed ocular tuberculosis (0.85 %) were common posterior segment findings. Conclusion: Herpes zoster ophthalmicus, anterior uveitis, HIV retinopathy and CMV retinitis are common ocular manifestations associated with HIV infections. Keywords: HIV/AIDS; anterior and posterior segments; ocular involvement DOI: 10.3126/nepjoph.v2i1.3704 Nep J Oph 2010;2(1) 45-50

Download Full-text

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus and HIV infection in Nigeria

International Journal of STD & AIDS ◽

10.1258/0956462981922656 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 476-479 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Rich E Umeh

Keyword(s):

Herpes Zoster ◽

Pulmonary Tuberculosis ◽

Hiv Infection ◽

Hand Movement ◽

Anterior Segment ◽

Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus ◽

Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis ◽

Affected Side ◽

The Face ◽

Nigeria Teaching Hospital

Eight patients, 3 men and 5 women, aged between 24 and 40 years who had herpes zoster ophthalmicus HZO were seen in the Eye Department of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu between 1994 and 1997. One of the patients was already on treatment for active pulmonary tuberculosis at the time he was first seen. All had skin eruptions at different stages of development in the area of distribution of the first trigeminal nerve on the affected side of the face and head. Ocular examination revealed impaired vision in the affected eye between 6 12 and hand movement in all the patients. All had lid oedema while 5 had ptosis 3 partial and 2 complete . Various degrees of conjunctival injection were observed in all patients while 6 of them had corneal anaesthesia and keratitis. Uveal inflammation, present in all the patients varied from mild iritis in 4 individuals to severe iridocyclitis in the remaining 4. Pupils reacted to light sluggishly in 2 patients while they were dilated and fixed in 3 others. None had any associated abnormalities in the posterior segment. Six of the patients consented and were screened for human immunodeficiency virus HIV infection. Of these, 4, including the patient with pulmonary tuberculosis, tested seropositive while 2 were seronegative. All 8 were treated with topical acyclovir. This was combined with oral acyclovir in one of the patients. Follow up period was between 2 and 52 weeks. During this period skin eruptions and anterior segment signs improved in 5 patients while remaining stable in 3 others; post herpetic neuralgia persisted on the affected side in 4 patients. Patients who were HIV seropositive did not recover as quickly or to the same extent as the seronegative ones. It is concluded that HZO infection may indicate underlying HIV infection in young Africans as has been found in whites.

Download Full-text