trimethoprim--sulfamethoxazole-drug-combination and Eye-Diseases

Whipple's disease is a systemic bacterial infection that once was uniformly fatal and now is treatable with several different antibiotics in most cases. The exact nature of the Whipple's bacillus is unknown, since the organism cannot consistently be cultured. There is also controversy concerning the role of immunologic dysfunction in patients with Whipple's disease. In addition to the small intestine, Whipple's disease can involve the remainder of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as the lymph nodes, joints, nervous system, heart, eyes, hematopoietic system, lungs, liver, and other organs. The clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of this rare but fascinating disease will be reviewed in this article.

Topics: Bacterial Infections; Diagnosis, Differential; Drug Combinations; Eye Diseases; Heart Diseases; Hematologic Diseases; Humans; Joint Diseases; Lung Diseases; Lymphatic Diseases; Muscular Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Penicillins; Skin Diseases; Streptomycin; Sulfamethoxazole; Tetracycline; Trimethoprim; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; Whipple Disease

The causative factors and ocular complications of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis are reported here. Six out of seven patients developed the syndrome secondary to ingestion of sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine while one developed it as a complication of HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy). The ocular complications were ankyloblepharon, symblepharon, chronic conjunctivitis, corneal vascularization and conjunctivalization, and blindness. One patient died. A shift to the WHO-recommened artemisin-based combination therapy for the treatment of malaria is advised. Early referral to the ophthalmologist will help to reduce the complications.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Child, Preschool; Eye Diseases; Female; Hospitals, University; Humans; Male; Nigeria; Ophthalmic Solutions; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bartonella Infections; Ciprofloxacin; Doxycycline; Erythromycin; Eye Diseases; Gentamicins; Humans; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination

6 cases with pathognomonic fundus pathologies are presented and discussed using multiple-choice questions.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Albinism, Oculocutaneous; Choroid; Choroid Hemorrhage; Clindamycin; Diagnosis, Differential; Drug Hypersensitivity; Eye Diseases; Female; Fluorescein Angiography; Fundus Oculi; Humans; Male; Pigment Epithelium of Eye; Retinal Necrosis Syndrome, Acute; Toxoplasmosis, Ocular; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; Vasculitis