BACILLUS-CEREUS PANOPHTHALMITIS AFTER INTRAVENOUS HEROIN

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 11  (3) , 431-+
Abstract
Two healthy young black men developed panophthalmitis after i.v. heroin injections. B. cereus, considered a relatively noncommon pathogen for man [and which may have been present in the heroin], was the causative agent as it was recovered from the anterior chamber and vitreous cavity of both cases. The ocular findings were unilateral in each case and neither patient had any systemic involvement from the bacteremia. The onset of visual symptoms varied from 24-36 h after the last i.v. injection with the eye becoming rapidly blind. Photographs of the early fundus lesions included pre-retinal hypopyon-like lesions and peculiar changes in the blood vasculature. Intracameral gentamicin and steroids did not alter the cause and treatment was enucleation.

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