Successful treatment of varicella zoster virus retinitis with aggressive intravitreal and systemic antiviral therapy

Abstract

Aims: To describe the successful treatment of varicella zoster virus retinitis (VZVR) using intravenous cidofovir as part of an aggressive management strategy.

Case reports: Two patients with bilateral VZVR were treated with a combination of intravenous cidofovir and ganciclovir with adjuvant intravitreal foscarnet or ganciclovir. Both patients maintained good vision in the less severely affected eye. Retinal detachment did not occur in either patient.

Conclusions: VZVR should be treated aggressively with a combination of intravenous and intravitreal therapy to improve visual prognosis. Intravenous cidofovir, in the absence of contra-indications, should be considered as part of this aggressive therapeutic approach, especially in patients with AIDS in whom the prognosis is particularly poor.