Purpose: To describe the occurrence of acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy as the initial presentation in a HIV-positive patient.
Methods: Observational case report of one patient and literature review.
Results: An active 21-year-old white woman presented to the emergency department with anterior segment complaints. Her best-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes. Fundus examination revealed numerous, polymorphous, bleb-like lesions at the posterior pole, corresponding, on structural imaging (optical coherence tomography) to subretinal detachments. The bleb-like lesions on infrared imaging were slightly autofluorescent on fundus autofluorescence. Swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography showed signal attenuation because of the presence of subretinal fluid in the choriocapillaris segmentation. Multimodal imaging findings were suggestive for acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy. Hence, a systemic blood workup was performed. The workup returned positive for HIV, and an antiviral therapy was introduced.
Conclusion: The fortuitous diagnosis of HIV having as the initial presentation acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy in an asymptomatic patient highlights the value of a thorough clinical examination and multimodal imaging in correctly diagnosing this rare disorder and its cause. This case report could prove helpful to clinicians faced with this rare scenario.