Understanding the pathogenesis of uveitis in Ebola virus disease survivors: a study protocol for clinical, molecular virologic, and immunologic characterization.

The 2013-2016 Western African outbreak of the Ebola virus disease (EVD), the largest recorded outbreak since the discovery of Ebola virus (EBOV) in 1976, destabilized local health systems and left thousands of survivors at risk for post-acute sequelae, including vision-threatening uveitis. In an EVD survivor with severe panuveitis, the detection of persistent EBOV in the aqueous humor, long after clearance of acute viremia, focused clinical and research attention on the host-EBOV interaction in the unique terrain of ocular immune-privilege. Despite the recognition that uveitis is common and consequential in EVD survivors, our understanding of pathogenesis is extremely limited, including the contributions of viral persistence and ocular-specific and systemic immune responses to disease expression.

Corneal and conjunctival abnormalities in a cohort of survivors from the Western African Ebola virus disease outbreak.

Purpose: To characterize corneal and conjunctival abnormalities (CCAs) and their impact on visual acuity in a cohort of survivors from the Western African Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak.

Design: A post hoc analysis of 121 patients, who had previously undergone screening for the Ebola Virus Persistence in Ocular Tissues and Fluids study, was performed.

Methods: Patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic exam at the Lowell and Ruth Gess Eye Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Confirmatory Cytopathology and Potential Impact on the Predictive Value of Gene Expression Profiling in Patients With Uveal Melanoma.

To determine whether the availability of a cytopathology-confirming diagnosis is correlated with the prognostic accuracy of a gene expression profiling assay. A single-center retrospective review was performed of patients diagnosed with uveal melanoma who had a fine-needle aspiration biopsy and gene expression profiling before proton therapy from 2012 to 2020. The development of metastases was compared in patients with gene expression profiling and cytopathology (gene expression profiling+cytopathology group) and patients with gene expression profiling only (gene expression profiling only group).

Long-term visual outcomes and histopathologic findings after cataract surgery in Ebola virus disease survivors in the Ebola virus RNA persistence in ocular tissues and fluids (EVICT) study.

Background/objectives: Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors develop post-acute ophthalmic sequelae, including a high prevalence of uveitis that may be complicated by vision-threatening cataract. After the non-detection of Ebola virus (EBOV) RNA in sampled ocular fluid, vision impairment due to cataract can be treated safely and effectively via manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS). However, the long-term ocular visual outcomes and assessment of ocular tissues, including for genomic RNA, have been infrequently or not reported in Western African survivors.

Establishing Vitreoretinal Surgery Capacity in Sierra Leone: Challenges and Opportunities to Address Retinal Health Disparities in Resource-limited Settings.

A range of challenges exists regarding vitreoretinal (VR) surgical services in resource-limited settings, including Sierra Leone. As a result, retinal pathologies may contribute to vision loss and blindness. In the wake of the 2013 to 2016 outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa, gaps in ophthalmic care were underscored as survivors were experiencing a constellation of sequelae, including uveitis and VR disease.

Ocular Complications of Mpox: Evolving Understanding and Future Directions.

Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox), an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), has been endemic in regions of Central and Western Africa. In 2022, the global spread of the clade IIb MPXV led to a multinational outbreak, primarily affecting sexual transmission networks among men who have sex with men. Despite interventions, new cases have continued to emerge.

Visual Outcomes after Proton Therapy for Recurrent Uveal Melanoma.

Objective: Proton beam re-irradiation (PBI) remains an effective and globe-preserving alternative to enucleation in the treatment of local recurrence in uveal melanoma. The study aimed to assess visual outcomes and prognostic factors in visual acuity (VA) after proton beam salvage therapy.

Design: Retrospective study.

Childhood vision impairment and blindness in West Africa: public health measures and implications for systemic health.

Childhood blindness is an issue of global health impact, affecting approximately 2 million children worldwide. Vision 2020 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals previously identified childhood blindness as a key issue in the twentieth century, and while public health measures are underway, the precise etiologies and management require ongoing investigation and care, particularly within resource-limited settings such as sub-Saharan Africa. We systematically reviewed the literature on childhood blindness in West Africa to identify the anatomic classification and etiologies, particularly those causes of childhood blindness with systemic health implications.