Eye Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2023 Jul;31(5):1112-1113. doi: 10.1080/09273948.2022.2073240. Epub 2022 May 27.
to respond to comments on our case report on COVID associated neuroretititis.
We gathered up to date statistics about the prevalence and incidence of epidemic retinitis in Iran and specifically our region, north-east of Iran.
Our response to Kawal et al comments includes 3 items. First, the PCR result of the vitreous specimen was positive for COVID-19. Secondly, the clinical course of the patient's illness was typically similar to our numerous COVID patients and we were in the middle of the second peak of COVID at the time. Thirdly, although other causes of epidemic retinitis such as west nile river are relatively rare in our region, we had a significant rise in the incidence of epidemic retinitis in the peak of COVID. So, the most probable cause may be COVID-19.
Although the ocular findings of our patient was similar to epidemic retinitis caused by other well-known organisms, we believe that based on positive vitreous sample PCR for COVID, typical clinical course of systemic illness, being in the peak of COVID pandemic with significant increase of similar patients during this period, our patient had COVID associated neuroretinitis/ epidemic retinitis.
回应关于我们 COVID 相关视神经炎病例报告的评论。
我们收集了有关伊朗流行视网膜病变和特别是我们所在地区（伊朗东北部）流行视网膜病变的最新发病率和患病率数据。
我们对 Kawal 等人评论的回应包括 3 点。首先，玻璃体标本的 PCR 结果为 COVID-19 阳性。其次，患者疾病的临床过程与我们众多 COVID 患者相似，当时我们正处于 COVID 第二波高峰之中。第三，尽管我们地区西尼罗河等其他流行结膜炎的病因相对较少，但在 COVID 高峰期，流行结膜炎的发病率显著上升。因此，最可能的原因可能是 COVID-19。
尽管我们患者的眼部表现与其他知名病原体引起的流行结膜炎相似，但我们认为，基于 COVID 的玻璃体样本 PCR 阳性、全身疾病的典型临床过程、在 COVID 大流行高峰期期间有大量类似患者，我们的患者患有 COVID 相关视神经炎/流行结膜炎。
