Physicians should note that a red eye associated with Zika is not necessarily only conjunctivitis
THURSDAY, June 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — In a letter published online June 22 in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers describe the case of a man who was infected with Zika and developed uveitis.
“Zika patients should report every single symptom to their doctors, especially if they present with any kind of eye symptoms,” report coauthor Benedito Antonio Lopes da Fonseca, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of São Paulo in Brazil, told HealthDay.
Based on tests and observation of the patient, it’s clear that Zika was the cause of the condition, Fonseca said. The patient, who was in his early 40s, recovered from the uveitis. But the condition can lead to cataracts and ocular hypertension, noted lead author João Furtado, M.D., Ph.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the University of São Paulo.
“Ophthalmologists who see patients with uveitis should be aware that Zika is a potential cause of it,” Furtado told HealthDay. “And general doctors should know that a red eye associated with Zika is not necessarily only conjunctivitis. It can be more severe than it looks.”
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