Richard J. MaudeBUM U.M.W. AhmedAbu Hayat Md Waliur RahmanRidwanur RahmanMohammed I. MajumderDarryl B. MenezesAbdullah Abu SayeedLaura HughesThomas J. MacGillivrayShyamanga BorooahBaljean DhillonArjen M. DondorpMohammad A. FaizMahidol UniversityNuffield Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of Edinburgh, College of Medicine and Veterinary MedicineSir Salimullah Medical CollegeQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation TrustChittagong Medical College HospitalUniversity of Edinburgh2018-11-092018-11-092014-09-30BMC Infectious Diseases. Vol.14, No.1 (2014)147123342-s2.0-84907934882https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/34186© 2014 Maude et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. Background: In visceral leishmaniasis (VL), retinal changes have previously been noted but not described in detail and their clinical and pathological significance are unknown. A prospective observational study was undertaken in Mymensingh, Bangladesh aiming to describe in detail visible changes in the retina in unselected patients with VL.Methods: Patients underwent assessment of visual function, indirect and direct ophthalmoscopy and portable retinal photography. The photographs were assessed by masked observers including assessment for vessel tortuosity using a semi-automated system.Results: 30 patients with VL were enrolled, of whom 6 (20%) had abnormalities. These included 5 with focal retinal whitening, 2 with cotton wool spots, 2 with haemorrhages, as well as increased vessel tortuosity. Visual function was preserved.Conclusions: These changes suggest a previously unrecognized retinal vasculopathy. An inflammatory aetiology is plausible such as a subclinical retinal vasculitis, possibly with altered local microvascular autoregulation, and warrants further investigation.Mahidol UniversityMedicineArticleSCOPUS10.1186/1471-2334-14-527