CHRONIC PROPIONIBACTERIUM-ACNES ENDOPHTHALMITIS AS A CAUSE OF INTERMEDIATE UVEITIS

Although the pathogenesis in most cases of intermediate uveitis is unk nown, a small minority of cases is associated with a variety of specif ic inflammatory etiologies: sarcoidosis; multiple sclerosis; Lyme dise ase; syphilis; ocular lymphoma; and as a rare manifestation of Behcet' s disease and AIDS. A 61-year-old woman developed pars planitis after cataract surgery. A vitrectomy was performed after ten months when a w hite capsular plaque and an hypopyon developed. Propionibacterium acne s was isolated. The intermediate uveitis was not controlled until late r removal of the intraocular lens and capsular remnants. Chronic propi onibacterial endophthalmitis may be a cause of intermediate uveitis.