Patterns of Uveitis at Two University-Based Referral Centres in Cape Town, South Africa

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To analyze the pattern of uveitis at two tertiary hospitals in South Africa which has a high prevalence of HIV, TB and syphilis.

Methods: Data of 198 patients were obtained retrospectively between August 2014 and August 2016, including patient demographics, clinical examination, special investigations and final diagnosis.

Results: Infectious uveitis was the most common aetiological category (47%), followed by idiopathic (34.8%) and non-infectious (18.2%). Syphilis was the most common identifiable cause (16.2%). Other important causes were toxoplasmosis, herpes viruses, tuberculosis and HLA-B27. HIV positive patients, who constituted 40% of the study population, were more likely to present with a posterior or panuveitis (relative risk 1.50, 95% CI 1.19–1.89) and more likely to have an infectious cause compared to HIV negative patients (relative risk 2.47, 95% CI 1.82–3.35).

Conclusions: This study emphasizes the importance of HIV testing and investigations for infectious causes of uveitis, especially syphilis, in this population.

Keywords:

• Ocular infection
• ocular inflammation
• South Africa
• uveitis
• uveitis aetiology
• uveitis epidemiology

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the National Health Laboratory Service for supplying the relevant laboratory information.

Declaration of interest

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