Posters

Demyelination disease masked through exotic expeditions to Africa: a case report

Poster Details

First Author: W.Lubon POLAND

Co Author(s): E. Mrukwa-Kominek   K. Jadczyk-Sorek   J. Janiszewska-Salamon              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

The aim of the presented study is to show the case of the disease, the diagnostic path and treatment of the patient with optic neuritis secondary to demyelinating disease. The ophthalmological complaints patient connect with his recent return from exotic African countries - he went on a trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar, where, according to his theory, he felt a significant weakness of the whole organism before returning to Home Country.

Setting:

The study describes a 47-years old male patient who came back from an exotic Africa trip with symptoms of optic neuritis admitted to the Adult Ophthalmology Department in University Clinical Center Katowice, Poland.

Methods:

After examination in the Emergency Room and finding a number of sight problems - decreased visual acuity to 0,05 of the left eye, no possibility of color recognition, swelling of the optic disc, retinal detachment. Patient was admitted to the Department of Ophthalmology of Adults in emergency mode for further diagnosis and appropriate treatment. During the six-day stay of the patient in the hospital, an additional panel was performed - blood laboratory tests, static and kinetic perimetry, retina and optic disc OCT, fluorescein angiography, eyeball ultrasound, electrophysiological examination, CNS contrast MRI. Local and general treatment was applied - anti-inflammatory, anti-edema.

Results:

The treatment resulted in a gradual improvement in visual acuity and withdrawal of the swelling of the left eye. The results of specialized additional tests reveal diagnosis - demyelinating optic neuritis. Diagnostics of the patient in the post-hospital period were extended to consultations in the neurological clinic, and the Institute of Tropical Medicine.

Conclusions:

Systemic inflammation of the tropical disease could be a trigger for the manifestation of demyelinating disease in the form of optic neuritis. After the diagnosis and applied treatment, therapeutic success was achieved.

Financial Disclosure:

None