The Etiology of Intraocular Inflammation in HIV Positive and HIV Negative Adults at a Tertiary Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To describe the patterns of uveitis in South Africa.

Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study.

Results: One hundred and six patients were enrolled and 37.7% had human immune-deficiency virus (HIV) infection. Anterior and panuveitis occurred most frequently. Infectious, non-infectious and idiopathic uveitis were diagnosed in 66.0%, 17.0% and 17.0% of all cases, respectively. Eighty percent of HIV+ cases had infectious uveitis. Overall, intraocular tuberculosis (IOTB), herpetic and syphilitic uveitis were the commonest infectious causes. Sarcoidosis and HLA-B27-associated uveitis were the commonest non-infectious causes. In anterior uveitis, HIV+ cases most frequently had probable IOTB, syphilitic or idiopathic uveitis while HIV- cases had possible IOTB, idiopathic or HLA-B27-associated uveitis. In panuveitis, HIV+ cases mostly had syphilis, probable IOTB, toxoplasma and varicella-zoster virus whereas HIV- cases mostly had possible IOTB, sarcoidosis and idiopathic uveitis.

Conclusion: Infectious uveitis is common in South Africa, especially amongst HIV+ patients. Causes of anterior and panuveitis differ between HIV+ and HIV- patients.

Keywords:

• Africa
• causes
• etiology
• HIV
• idiopathic
• infectious
• non-infectious
• South Africa
• uveitis

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

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