The retina and the choroids are richly vascularised structures and can therefore be colonised by germs via the haematogenous route in the course of a systemic
infectious disease. The germs responsible for this type of
infection can be fungi, viruses, bacteria and parasites. Ocular
candidiasis is outstanding amongst these colonisations because of its frequency; it can manifest itself as an
endophthalmitis with a slow and hidden course. The so-called ocular
histoplasmosis syndrome, although it is infrequent in our setting, is an important cause of choroidal neovascularisation. The viruses that most frequently affect the retina are of the herpes type and can produce devastating symptoms in immunoincompetent patients, named
acute retinal necrosis syndrome.
Retinitis due to cytomegalovirus is more frequent in immunodepressed patients, as in the case of
AIDS, but it must also be contemplated in patients with
lymphoma and immunomodulatory treatment. The most frequent
bacterial diseases that affect the retina are
syphilis and
tuberculosis. Disease due to cat scratches, caused by a borrelia, can produce a
neuroretinitis.
Toxoplasmosis is the most common of the
infectious diseases caused by a parasite and gives rise to
chorioretinitis.
Toxocariasis, also caused by a parasite, is second in importance, giving rise to choroidal
granulomas and
retinal tractions.