Acute endophthalmitis following intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) injection

Eye (Lond). 2007 Mar;21(3):408-9. doi: 10.1038/sj.eye.6702683. Epub 2007 Feb 2.

Abstract

Purpose: To report two cases of acute endophthalmitis following intravitreal bevacizumab injection.

Methods: Two patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration were treated sequentially with an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab and developed signs of severe but painless infectious endophthalmitis 2 days later. Vitreous samples were obtained, followed by the injection of vancomycin 1 mg/0.1 ml and ceftazidime 2.25 mg/0.1 ml. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to determine whether the isolated microorganisms were the same.

Results: Coagulase-negative staphylococci were identified and isolated from the vitreous specimen of both patients. PFGE revealed different patterns of banding, excluding that interpatient contamination occured.

Conclusions: Infectious endophthalmitis is a potential complication of intravitreal bevacizumab injection.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / adverse effects*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / administration & dosage
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / adverse effects*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Bevacizumab
  • Endophthalmitis / chemically induced*
  • Endophthalmitis / microbiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Injections / methods
  • Macular Degeneration / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Staphylococcal Infections / chemically induced*
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
  • Vitreous Body / microbiology

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Bevacizumab