Reactivation of Acute Retinal Necrosis following SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Monica P Gonzalez; Radames Rios; Mariella Pappaterra; Miguel Hernandez; Allison Toledo; Carmen Santos; Andres Emanuelli; Shree K Kurup; Armando L Oliver

doi:10.1155/2021/7336488

Reactivation of Acute Retinal Necrosis following SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Case Rep Ophthalmol Med. 2021 Jul 16:2021:7336488. doi: 10.1155/2021/7336488. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, Department of Ophthalmology, Paseo Dr. Jose Celso Barbosa, San Juan 00921, USA.
² Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine, 388 Zona Industrial Reparada 2, Ponce, PR 00716, USA.
³ Emanuelli Research and Development Center, 452 Dr R Rivera Aulet Avenue, Suite 45 Arecibo, PR 00612-4368, USA.
⁴ Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.

Abstract

Purpose: To report on a case of reactivation of acute retinal necrosis following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods: Observational case report. Observations. A 32-year-old female with a distant history of left retinal detachment secondary to necrotizing herpetic retinitis complained of right-eye vision loss, pain, redness, and photophobia. An ophthalmological examination revealed findings consistent with acute retinal necrosis of the right eye. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of the right vitreous was positive for herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). A coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) screening test using reverse transcriptase- (RT-) PCR was positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

Conclusions: Our case suggests that COVID-19 may cause a latent HSV infection to reactivate, causing contralateral involvement in patients with a prior history of HSV-associated acute retinal necrosis.

Publication types

Case Reports