Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Contributors
- Part I Clinical Syndromes – General
- Part II Clinical Syndromes – Head and Neck
- Part III Clinical Syndromes – Eye
- 11 Conjunctivitis
- 12 Keratitis
- 13 Iritis
- 14 Retinitis
- 15 Endophthalmitis
- 16 Periocular Infections
- Part IV Clinical Syndromes – Skin and Lymph Nodes
- Part V Clinical Syndromes – Respiratory Tract
- Part VI Clinical Syndromes – Heart and Blood Vessels
- Part VII Clinical Syndromes – Gastrointestinal Tract, Liver, and Abdomen
- Part VIII Clinical Syndromes – Genitourinary Tract
- Part IX Clinical Syndromes – Musculoskeletal System
- Part X Clinical Syndromes – Neurologic System
- Part XI The Susceptible Host
- Part XII HIV
- Part XIII Nosocomial Infection
- Part XIV Infections Related to Surgery and Trauma
- Part XV Prevention of Infection
- Part XVI Travel and Recreation
- Part XVII Bioterrorism
- Part XVIII Specific Organisms – Bacteria
- Part XIX Specific Organisms – Spirochetes
- Part XX Specific Organisms – Mycoplasma and Chlamydia
- Part XXI Specific Organisms – Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma
- Part XXII Specific Organisms – Fungi
- Part XXIII Specific Organisms – Viruses
- Part XXIV Specific Organisms – Parasites
- Part XXV Antimicrobial Therapy – General Considerations
- Index
13 - Iritis
from Part III - Clinical Syndromes – Eye
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 March 2013
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Contributors
- Part I Clinical Syndromes – General
- Part II Clinical Syndromes – Head and Neck
- Part III Clinical Syndromes – Eye
- 11 Conjunctivitis
- 12 Keratitis
- 13 Iritis
- 14 Retinitis
- 15 Endophthalmitis
- 16 Periocular Infections
- Part IV Clinical Syndromes – Skin and Lymph Nodes
- Part V Clinical Syndromes – Respiratory Tract
- Part VI Clinical Syndromes – Heart and Blood Vessels
- Part VII Clinical Syndromes – Gastrointestinal Tract, Liver, and Abdomen
- Part VIII Clinical Syndromes – Genitourinary Tract
- Part IX Clinical Syndromes – Musculoskeletal System
- Part X Clinical Syndromes – Neurologic System
- Part XI The Susceptible Host
- Part XII HIV
- Part XIII Nosocomial Infection
- Part XIV Infections Related to Surgery and Trauma
- Part XV Prevention of Infection
- Part XVI Travel and Recreation
- Part XVII Bioterrorism
- Part XVIII Specific Organisms – Bacteria
- Part XIX Specific Organisms – Spirochetes
- Part XX Specific Organisms – Mycoplasma and Chlamydia
- Part XXI Specific Organisms – Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma
- Part XXII Specific Organisms – Fungi
- Part XXIII Specific Organisms – Viruses
- Part XXIV Specific Organisms – Parasites
- Part XXV Antimicrobial Therapy – General Considerations
- Index
Summary
The uveal tract is a continuous vascular structure consisting of the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. It is convenient to subdivide inflammation of the uveal tract into anterior uveitis (iritis and iridocyclitis) and posterior uveitis (choroiditis and choroidoretinitis). This chapter relates to anterior uveitis or, more simply, iritis; for the related entity chorioretinitis please also see Chapter 14, Retinitis.
Exogenous iritis may follow injury or surgery to the eye or may have a local intraocular cause, which usually is obvious from history or examination. Endogenous iritis may be regarded as a symptom of some widespread infection or multisystem disorder.
Iritis may be the presenting feature of a systemic infection or merely “another organ” involved by an already diagnosed infection. However, the ocular fluids are relatively easily obtained and their analysis can prove very useful when specific diagnosis of the offending organism has proved elusive. In the clinical setting iritis may be part of an acute or chronic systemic infection or be an immune response to a preceding systemic infection. The presentation of the iritis depends on both the immunity of the patient as well as the nature and the virulence of the organism. On occasions the iritis is the only sign of the infection which is entirely localized to the eye.
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- Chapter
- Information
- Clinical Infectious Disease , pp. 97 - 102Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008