Epidemic Retinitis with Positive or Negative Weil Felix Test - a Comparative Study and Outcome with Doxycycline.

Purpose: To compare clinical manifestations and disease outcomes in Epidemic Retinitis (ER) with positive or negative Weil Felix Test (WFT).Methods: Retrospective, observational, comparative study. WFT positive or negative patients formed Group 1 and 2, respectively. Patients receiving oral doxycycline monotherapy formed subgroup A and B. Duration of resolution of macular edema and retinitis was compared.Results: Novel finding of "ring retinitis" was observed equally in group 1 and 2. Complete resolution of macular edema took 41.3 days (range: 30-60 days) and 43.68 days (range: 20-105 days) (p = .668) and retinitis lesions resolved in 34.3 days (range: 14-65 days) and 34 days (range: 12-60 days) (p = .875) in group A and B, respectively. All (n = 14) eyes with retinitis within 1 disc diameter of fovea improved better than 20/80 except 1.Conclusion: No significant difference with respect to clinical, imaging findings and the treatment outcome was observed in WFT positive or negative cases.