Long-term follow-up of a healthy man with endogenous Streptococcus anginosus endophthalmitis

TL;DR

A healthy man with a rare eye infection caused by Streptococcus anginosus was successfully treated and regained full vision after a year.

Contribution

This case highlights Streptococcus anginosus as a potential cause of endophthalmitis in immunocompetent individuals.

Findings

The patient regained 20/20 vision after one year of treatment.

Streptococcus anginosus was identified as the causative agent through vitreous culture and PCR.

Treatment included intravitreal antibiotics, steroids, and immunosuppressive therapy.

Abstract

We report the long-term follow-up of an immunocompetent patient who presented with slowly progressive endogenous endophthalmitis secondary to Streptococcus anginosus. A 46-year-old healthy man presented with a two-month history of right eye iritis. On examination, visual acuity was 20/60 with intraocular pressure of 6 mm Hg. There was a small layer of hypopyon with non-granulomatous anterior uveitis and vitritis. On funduscopy, fluffy white peripheral retinal and pre-retinal lesions were noted in superonasal periphery. The patient denied any present or past illness. Diagnostic pars plana vitrectomy was performed. Culture and polymerase chain reaction of the vitreous sample were positive for Streptococcus anginosus. Intravitreal vancomycin and ceftazidime and systemic ceftriaxone were administered. Work-up which included blood and urine cultures, chest x-ray, echocardiography and abdominal ultrasound was unyielding. Subsequently and because of persistent post-infectious inflammatory reaction, intravitreal and oral steroids were administered in addition to oral azathioprine later on. After one year of follow-up, visual acuity was 20/20 with near vision of Jaeger 3 + and no signs of active uveitis were seen. Therefore, Streptococcus anginosus should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a slowly progressive endophthalmitis also in immunocompetent individuals.

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