Rubella virus uveitis in an unvaccinated child

[Mike Bartolatz]

Rubella virus-associated uveitis in a nonvaccinated child.

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PURPOSE: To report presumed Fuchs heterochromic uveitis (FHU) associated with Rubella virus (RV)-specific intraocular antibody production in a child who was not vaccinated against rubella. DESIGN: Observational case report. METHODS: We examined a 13-year-old boy with chronic anterior uveitis complicated by mature cataract. Two aqueous humor (AH) samples taken with an interval of four weeks were analyzed for intraocular antibody production against RV by calculation of the Goldmann-Witmer coefficient. RESULTS: The patient showed all the clinical signs for FHU: iris atrophy, stellate keratic precipitates, and cataract. Analysis of the AH demonstrated intraocular antibody production against RV in two sequential samples. CONCLUSIONS: The data show that RV-associated uveitis can already present during childhood. Moreover, this finding suggests that nonvaccinated children may be at risk to develop uveitis after RV infection. Publication Types: Case Reports, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Keywords: uveitis, production, intraocular, antibody, intraocular antibody, antibody production, production against

Authored by Siemerink MJ, Sijssens KM, de Groot-Mijnes JD, de Boer JH. F. C. Donders Institute of Ophthalmology, Eijkman Winkler Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Published in Am J Ophthalmol. 2007 May;143(5):899-900. Epub 2007 Jan 2. The full report is available online » a subscription to the periodical may be required.