Specific Ocular Uveal Lesions in Patients With Evidence of Histoplasmosis

Abstract

Information about the causes of endogenous uveal tract infection has been derived from a variety of sources. Microscopic examination and/or culture of infected uveal tissue obtained from enucleated eyes has revealed that potentially pathogenic organisms may be demonstrated in the lesions. The following have been so demonstrated, each in at least one case in which it was presumed to be the cause of the uveitis. Bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis¹ Mycobacterium leprae² Treponema pallidum³ Actinomyces⁴ Protozoans Toxoplasma gondi^5-8 Fungi Aspergillus⁹ Blastomyces¹⁰ Coccidioides immitis¹¹ Cryptococcus¹² Mucor¹³ Helminths Nematodes Filaria¹⁶ Onchocerca¹⁴ Toxocara larvae¹⁵ Cestodes Cysticercus^12,16 Echinococcus¹⁶ Viruses Cytomegalic inclusion disease¹⁷ Insects Fly larvae¹⁶ In rare instances, pathogenic organisms have been isolated from fluid aspirated from the infected eye.<i>Leptospira</i>,¹⁸<i>Toxoplasma</i>,²⁰herpes simplex virus,²¹and cytomegalic inclusion virus¹⁹have been cultured from anterior chamber fluid, and<i>Toxoplasma</i>from subretinal fluid²⁰obtained from patients with uveitis. The frequent occurrence of