Comparison of Ocular Findings in Patients with H1N1 Influenza Infection versus Patients Receiving Influenza Vaccine during a Pandemic

Aim: To evaluate ocular findings during the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) and after vaccination for the same strain. Patients and Methods: This study was conducted on 89 patients with H1N1 influenza infection (group 1) and 28 subjects who received vaccination for H1N1 (group 2). All patients were subjected to history taking, ophthalmological examination, fundus examination, conjunctival impression cytology and conjunctival swabs. Results: The patients' age ranged between 5 and 60 years (19.25 +/- 11.70 years). Group 1 included 43 (48.1%) males and 46 (51.9%) females, while group 2 included 13 (46.43%) males and 15 (53.57%) females. The most common ocular finding of patients in group 1 was bilateral acute conjunctivitis in 58 cases (65.17%), while in group 2, we found 3 (10.71%) cases of mild conjunctivitis, and 2 (7.14%) cases of moderate conjunctivitis. Retinopathy, uveal affection, and optic neuritis were not statistically different between the 2 groups. Impression cytology of the conjunctiva for group 1 showed squamous metaplasia grade 3 with enlargement of epithelial cells, and fragmentation of the nucleus which is similar to virus-infected structural changes. Conclusion: Pandemic influenza H1N1 was able to induce different ocular manifestations including acute conjunctivitis, retinopathy, uveal effusion syndrome and optic neuritis. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel