Latent tuberculosis-related scleritis: a case report

• Published in: BMC research notes Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 446
• Main Authors: Lhaj, Houssaine Ait, Benjelloun, Amine, Bouia, Youssef, Bennouk, Youssef, Mouzari, Yassine, Kamouni, Youssef El, Kriet, Mohamed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 20-09-2016; BioMed Central
• Subjects: Adult; Care and treatment; Case Report; Case studies; Diagnosis; Female; Humans; Latent Tuberculosis - complications; Scleritis; Scleritis - etiology; Tuberculosis; Latent tuberculosis; Scleritis; Antitubercular therapy
• ISSN: 1756-0500; 1756-0500
• DOI: 10.1186/s13104-016-2251-8

Scleritis is a painful inflammatory process centered in the sclera that may involve the cornea and the underlying uvea. The etiology is commonly idiopathic or autoimmune but some cases are associated with systemic infection such as tuberculosis.
In this report, we describe an unusual case of a female Moroccan patient who had a long history of bilateral recurrent scleritis associated with peripheral keratopathy and anterior uveitis. The patient was diagnosed with latent tuberculosis and responded to antitubercular therapy administrated after exclusion of other aetiologies. This patient was finally diagnosed with latent tuberculosis- related scleritis.
Although systemic tuberculosis is reported as a possible cause of scleritis and other ocular inflammatory manifestations, assessment of the diagnosis of tuberculosis-related ocular inflammation is challenging especially in latent forms. The treatment is largely presumptive. However, a favorable response to antitubercular therapy without relapse is taken as evidence of the disease.