Posters

Tuberculosis revealed by a scleritis: a case report

Poster Details

First Author: M.Bentaleb MOROCCO

Co Author(s):    M. Bentaleb   I. Boumehdi   N. Taouri   K. Bouirig   S. Benchekroun   L. Cherkaoui     

Abstract Details

Purpose:

In the following poster, we are going to illustrate an example of a tuberculosis disease revealed by a Scleritis.

Setting:

Department of ophthalmology A, Hospital of specialties, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco

Methods:

It’s about a patient aged 42, with no particular medical history who consults for a painful red right eye, first episode, which had started 2 days before. Ophthalmic examination reveals a visual acuity 7/10, and a localized redness of the sclera and the conjunctiva in the anterior temporal part of the eye associated with a hyperemia. The rest of the examination of the red eye and the full examination of the left eye was normal. Using a drop of Neosynephrine, didn’t cause the blanching of the blood vessels as it occurs in the Episcleritis.

Results:

So, we concluded to the diagnosis of an anterior nodular non-necrotizing Scleritis and we started non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs treatment first. But it showed no clinical improvement so we decided to switch to local corticosteroids. In parallel, we started an etiological assessment: Blood count, Electrolytes dosing, CRP, sedimentation rate, Syphilis serology, Immunological tests, Chest X-Ray which were normal. However, the tuberculin skin test was positive and revealed a raised and hard area of 26 mm. So we launched an Xpert MTB/RIF test which also was positive and after discussing the case with phtisiologists we started a Tuberculosis antibiotic treatment.

Conclusions:

In only 50% of cases of anterior nodular Scleritis we find a specific etiology. Tuberculosis is one of them but it remains rare. We should keep it in mind especially in endemic tuberculosis countries.

Financial Disclosure:

None