Pneumocystis carinii Choroidopathy

Abstract

• A 43-year-old black woman with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome developed bilateral multifocal choroidopathy characterized by slowly enlarging round to oval lesions in the posterior pole and midperiphery. Systemic evaluation revealed no evidence of mycobacterial, fungal, or spirochetal disease. Fluorescein angiography of the lesions showed early hypofluorescence with late staining of the lesions, which appeared deep to the retinal circulation. There was no evidence of retinal involvement. Over a 4-month period of observation, the lesions appeared to enlarge slowly, with no evidence of vitreous cells or debris in the overlying retina. A transscleral choroidal biopsy was performed, and electron microscopy showed numerous cystic structures characteristic of Pneumocystis carinii within necrotic choroid. The lack of inflammatory changes clinically, by fluorescein angiography, and histopathologically was striking.