The changing spectrum of fungal keratitis in south Florida. 1994

R H Rosa, and D Miller, and E C Alfonso
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Miami, FL 33136.

OBJECTIVE To review the clinical experience with fungal keratitis in south Florida over a 10-year period. METHODS One hundred twenty-five cases of fungal keratitis were identified in the microbiology laboratory records between January 1982 and January 1992. The medical record of each patient was reviewed. RESULTS The most commonly associated risk factor was trauma (44%). Fungal keratitis developed in five patients using extended wear contact lenses and one patient wearing a therapeutic bandage contact lens. Clinical features included irregular, feathery margins (62%), a dry, rough texture (47%), and satellite lesions (41%). An initial positive culture was obtained in 90% of patients, with a majority of cultures becoming positive within 48 hours. The Fusarium sp accounted for 62% of the isolates, with Fusarium oxysporum being the most commonly isolated organism. New fungal isolates include Candida parapsilosis, Aspergillus terreus, Candida tropicalis, and Trichosporon beigellii. Natamycin 5% suspension was the initial antifungal agent used for 91% of the patients, with an average duration of treatment of 38 days. Twenty-five patients were treated with oral ketoconazole for a median duration of 2 weeks, in addition to topical antifungal therapy. Thirty-four patients (27%) required a penetrating keratoplasty. Six patients had recurrence of fungal keratitis after penetrating keratoplasty. CONCLUSIONS Trauma, including contact lens wear, is the most commonly associated risk factor. The fungal organisms can be readily identified in culture. F. oxysporum is the most common organism, with new isolates identified. The mainstay of therapy is topical natamycin with the increasing use of imidazoles.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007634 Keratitis Inflammation of the cornea. Keratitides
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D005260 Female Females
D005431 Florida State bounded on east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Gulf of Mexico, on the west by Alabama and on the north by Alabama and Georgia.
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000935 Antifungal Agents Substances that destroy fungi by suppressing their ability to grow or reproduce. They differ from FUNGICIDES, INDUSTRIAL because they defend against fungi present in human or animal tissues. Anti-Fungal Agents,Antifungal Agent,Fungicides, Therapeutic,Antibiotics, Antifungal,Therapeutic Fungicides,Agent, Antifungal,Anti Fungal Agents,Antifungal Antibiotics
D012189 Retrospective Studies Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons. Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective
D012307 Risk Factors An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent. Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D012621 Seasons Divisions of the year according to some regularly recurrent phenomena usually astronomical or climatic. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Seasonal Variation,Season,Seasonal Variations,Variation, Seasonal,Variations, Seasonal

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