Suspected Congenital Rubella Retinopathy: A Spectrum of the TORCH Syndrome

Introduction

The acronym of “TORCH syndrome” is used for ocular congenital infections due to (T)oxoplasmosis, (R)ubella, (O)thers, (C)ytomegalovirus (CMV), and (H)erpes (simplex and zoster). The list of pathogens under the term “(O)thers” has grown since 1975 and includes syphilis, and, more recently, parvovirus, coxsackievirus, listeriosis, varicella-zoster virus, parvovirus B19, hepatitis virus, Trypanosoma cruzi, enterovirus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and the latest addition, Zika virus [1]. About 2 – 3% of birth defects are related to perinatal infection [2]. The prevalence of congenital disease in the United States is summarized in [Table 1] based on data from Neu et al. and the CDC. Congenital CMV infections have the highest prevalence, followed by toxoplasmosis and Treponema pallidum infection. Congenital rubella infection decreased in the USA from 20 000 babies born with congenital rubella between 1964 – 1965 to less than 10 congenital rubella cases per year after the vaccine was introduced [2], [3].

Publication History

Received: 16 October 2023

Accepted: 13 November 2023

Article published online:
23 April 2024

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