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Raju Khubchandani, MD; Tej Rane, DNB; Premlata Agarwal, MBBS; Fazal Nabi, DCH; Phiroze Patel, MS, FRCS; Avinash K. Shetty, MD

Arch Neurol. 2002;59:1633-1636.

Background  Involvement of the optic nerve is a rare complication of mumps infection.

Objectives  To report a case of bilateral neuroretinitis complicating a mumps infection and to review 5 previously reported cases.

Design  Case report and literature review.

Setting  Tertiary hospital.

Patient  A 7-year-old girl had sudden-onset blindness due to bilateral neuroretinitis. Approximately 3 weeks prior to the initial examination, she developed a self-limited febrile illness with parotid swelling and subsequent meningoencephalitis.

Results  Mumps was determined to be the underlying cause of the meningoencephalitis and bilateral optic neuritis because of the exposure history in this nonvaccinated child, the typical clinical signs and symptoms, and the positive serologic test results. Recovery of visual function was gradual but nearly complete.

Conclusions  Physicians should be aware that optic nerve involvement may be a manifestation of mumps infection. The delayed onset of optic neuritis, the bilateral involvement, and the near complete recovery suggest an immune-mediated pathogenesis.

From the Departments of Pediatrics (Drs Khubchandani and Nabi and Mr Agarwal) and Ophthalmology (Dr Rane and Mr Patel), Jaslok Hospital and Research Center, Mumbai, India; and the Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC (Dr Shetty).