Bilateral toxoplasma retinochoroiditis in a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia treated with imatinib mesylate.

A 48-year-old man, on imatinib therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia, developed bilateral retino-choroiditis. Visual acuity was 20/100 and counting fingers at 2 m in both the right and left eye. Vitreous biopsy (left eye) revealed Toxoplasma gondii genome by polymerase chain reaction. Serum anti-toxoplasma IgG levels were significantly elevated. Blood counts were normal. Bcr-Abl/Abl transcript ratio was 0.016%. He was treated with oral co-trimoxazole, to which corticosteroids in tapering doses were added later. Imatinib therapy was continued. After 6 weeks of therapy, all retinal lesions regressed and vision improved to 20/30 and 20/40 in right and left eyes, respectively.