$Unique_ID{BRK04082} $Pretitle{} $Title{Papillitis} $Subject{Papillitis Optic Neuritis Optic Neuropathy Giant Cell Arteritis Multiple Sclerosis Retrobulbar Neuritis Syphilis} $Volume{} $Log{} Copyright (C) 1989 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. 744: Papillitis ** IMPORTANT ** It is possible that the main title of the article (Papillitis) is not the name you expected. Please check the SYNONYM listing to find the alternate names and disorder subdivisions covered by this article. Synonyms Optic Neuritis Optic Neuropathy Information on the following diseases can be found in the Related Disorders section of this report: Giant Cell Arteritis Multiple Sclerosis Retrobulbar Neuritis Syphilis General Discussion ** REMINDER ** The information contained in the Rare Disease Database is provided for educational purposes only. It should not be used for diagnostic or treatment purposes. If you wish to obtain more information about this disorder, please contact your personal physician and/or the agencies listed in the "Resources" section of this report. Papillitis is a progressive inflammation of all or part of the optic nerve which can lead to loss of vision. It is usually preceded by a viral illness or other inflammatory disease. Symptoms Papillitis is an inflammation in or about the optic nerve. It is characterized by a rapid loss of vision. This is the only symptom of this disease. It can occur within one to two days of onset, and may last for months. Recovery may be spontaneous, but permanent loss of vision can occur if the underlying cause is not diagnosed and treated. In the elderly with Giant Cell Arteritis, there may be headaches and fatigue as well as loss of vision in one eye. In some cases it may progress to the other eye and cause total blindness. Causes There are many causes of Papillitis. It may be caused by an inflammation of the temporal artery, toxins or chemicals such as lead or ethanol, syphilis, or a tumor in another part of the body. Symptoms may also occur after a viral illness. In some cases there may be no apparent cause. Affected Population Papillitis affects males and females in equal numbers and can occur at any age. Related Disorders The following disorders may be associated with Papillitis. Giant Cell Arteritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the branches of the aortic arch. This disorder is found principally in the temporal and occipital arteries, but may develop in almost any of the large arteries. It rarely involves veins. Papillitis may occur in people with Giant Cell Arteritis. (For more information on this disorder, choose "Arteritis, Giant Cell" as your search term in the Rare Disease Database). Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system) which may be progressive, relapsing and remitting, or stable. People with MS have small nerve lesions called plaques that may form randomly throughout the brain and spinal cord. These patches prevent proper transmission of nerve signals and thus result in a variety of neurological symptoms. (For more information on this disorder, choose "Multiple Sclerosis" as your search term in the Rare Disease Database.) Retrobulbar Neuritis is an inflammation of that portion of the optic nerve that lies behind the eyeball. Many cases of this disease are caused by multiple sclerosis while others may be due to viral or infectious disorders. In most cases there may be no apparent cause. This disease usually affects one eye and is characterized by pain associated with movement of the eye, headache and a rapid and progressive loss of vision. Syphilis is a chronic, highly infectious disease acquired through sexual intercourse. This disease may involve any organ or tissue of the body. (For more information on this disorder, choose "Chlamydia" as your search term in the Rare Disease Database.) Therapies: Standard If spontaneous remission does not occur in people with Papillitis it is usually treated with the corticosteroid drugs prednisone or methylprednisolone. Other treatment is symptomatic and supportive. Therapies: Investigational This disease entry is based upon medical information available through January 1990. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder. Resources For more information on Papillitis, please contact: National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) P.O. Box 8923 New Fairfield, CT 06812-1783 (203) 746-6518 NIH/National Eye Institute 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20892 (301) 468-5248 Vision Foundation, Inc. 818 Mt. Auburn Street Watertown, MA 02172 (617) 926-4232 (800) 852-3029 (within Massachusetts) References INTERNAL MEDICINE, 2nd Ed.: Jay H. Stein, ed.-in-chief; Little, Brown and Co., 1987. Pp. 2171. THE MERCK MANUAL, 15th Ed.: Robert Berkow, M.D., ed.-in-chief; Merck, Sharp & Dohme Laboratories., 1987. Pp. 2240. OPTIC NEURITIS IN CHILDREN AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: A CLINICAL STUDY IN 21 CHILDREN. R. Riikonen, et al.; DEV MED CHILD NEUROL, (June 1988, issue 30 (3)). Pp. 349-359. TRANSVERSE MYELITIS AND OPTIC NEURITIS IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHROMATOSUS: A CASE REPORT WITH RESONANCE IMAGING FINDINGS. J. Kenik, et al.; ARTHRITIS RHEUM (August 1987, issue 30 (8)). Pp. 947-950. RECOVERY AFTER OPTIC NEURITIS IN CHILDHOOD. A. Kriss, et al.; J NEUROSURG PSYCHIATRY, (October 1988, issue 51 (10)). Pp. 1253-1258. OPTIC NEURITIS IN THE ELDERLY: PROGNOSIS FOR VISUAL RECOVERY AND LONG- TERM FOLLOW-UP. D. Jacobsen, et al.; NEUROLOGY (December 1988, issue 38 (12)). Pp. 1834-1837. TREATMENT OF OPTIC NEURITIS WITH INTRAVENOUS MEGADOSE CORTICOSTEROIDS. A CONSECUTIVE SERIES. T. Spoor, et al.; OPHTHALMOLOGY (January 1988, issue 95 (1)). Pp. 131-134.