HLA-A29-positive Birdshot Chorioretinopathy in a Hispanic Patient

Abstract

Purpose: To report the first documented case of HLA-A29⁺ birdshot chorioretinopathy in a Hispanic patient.

Case description: A 62-year-old female from Mexico presented with a 15-year history of progressive nyctalopia, floaters, and decreasing vision. She carried multiple previous diagnoses, including posterior vitreous detachment and macular edema. Both fundi showed characteristic creamy ill-defined lesions of birdshot chorioretinopathy, mostly atrophic, with evidence of old periphlebitis and arteriolar attenuation. Bilateral macular atrophy resulted in compromised visual acuity. Workup revealed positive HLA-A29 and was negative for TB and syphilis.

Conclusion: Despite having been reported almost exclusively in non-Hispanic Caucasians, HLA-A29-positive birdshot chorioretinopathy may occur in Hispanic patients. This patient's ethnicity may have resulted in a significant delay in diagnosis.

• Birdshot
• HLA A29
• race
• retinochoroidopathy
• uveitis

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Authors reply to Letter to the Editor—In Response to: “Baddar D, Goldstein DA. HLA-A29-positive Birdshot Chorioretinopathy in a Hispanic Patient”

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.