Acute Retinal Necrosis Presenting in Developmentally-delayed Patients with Neonatal Encephalitis: A Case Series and Literature Review

ABSTRACT

We report three cases of patients with developmental-delay from neonatal herpetic encephalitis and/or meningitis who presented years later with acute retinal necrosis due to herpes simplex virus. The diagnosis was delayed in all cases due to the patients’ inability to verbalize their ocular complaints and cooperate with eye examinations. This case series documents the clinical course, pathophysiologic mechanism, and treatment of acute retinal necrosis in this patient population. Clinicians should understand the importance of prudent consideration of acute retinal necrosis in patients with a history of neonatal herpetic encephalitis and/or meningitis presenting with a red eye.

Keywords:

• ARN
• retinitis
• herpes
• uveitis
• encephalitis

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

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

FUNDING

Supported in part by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness New York, NY to the University of California Davis Eye Center. Research to Prevent Blindness had no role in the study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to submit the article for publication.

Additional information

Funding

Supported in part by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness New York, NY to the University of California Davis Eye Center. Research to Prevent Blindness had no role in the study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to submit the article for publication.