Beaded Pearls Appearance in Syphilitic Chorioretinitis

Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2023 Sep;31(7):1328-1332. doi: 10.1080/09273948.2023.2185265. Epub 2023 Mar 8.

Abstract

Purpose: To report an atypical case of bilateral syphilitic chorioretinitis.

Methods: A case report.

Results: A young male presented with bilateral pigmentary retinal changes along with multifocal chorioretinal lesions along the blood vessels giving a "beaded pearl" appearance. He was a hitherto undiagnosed case of human immunodeficiency virus infection and was diagnosed to have syphilis. He had a favourable visual and anatomical outcome following treatment.

Conclusion: Multifocal chorioretinal lesions along blood vessels forming a "beaded pearls" appearance can be a rare and unique presentation of syphilis.

Keywords: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; HIV; chorioretinitis; human immunodeficiency virus; nyctalopia; pigmentary retinopathy; posterior uveitis; syphilis; syphilitic chorioretinitis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Chorioretinitis* / diagnosis
  • Eye Infections, Bacterial* / diagnosis
  • Fluorescein Angiography
  • HIV Infections* / complications
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Syphilis* / diagnosis