Uveitis

Background

• Inflammation of the uvea, which comprises the iris, ciliary body, and choroid, or of the retina
  • Anterior: iritis, iridocyclitis
  • Intermediate: pars planitis
  • Posterior: choroiditis, retinitis, chorioretinitis
  • Panuveitis

Differential Diagnosis

Infectious causes

• Anterior uveitis (10% infectious)
  • Herpes simplex virus (by far the most common infectious cause)
  • Varicella-zoster virus
  • Syphilis
  • Tuberculosis
  • Lyme disease
  • Leprosy
• Intermediate uveitis (rarely infectious)
  • Lyme disease
• Posterior uveitis (50% infectious)
  • Toxoplasmosis
  • Acute retinal necrosis from HSV, VZV, and CMV
  • CMV retinitis, in immunocompromised patients
  • Toxocara
  • Syphilis
  • Cat-scratch disease
  • Candida endophthalmitis
  • West Nile virus, causing a multifocal chorioretinitis
• Panuveitis
  • Syphilis
  • Tuberculosis
  • Candida endophthalmitis
  • Leptospirosis, without retinal or choroidal lesions
• Other
  • Brucella, causing a chronic relapsing uveitis that is typically posterior but can be anterior or panuveitis
  • Chikungunya
  • Ebola virus
  • Zika virus