Posters

Corneal Co-infection with Fungus and Acanthamoeba

Poster Details

First Author: A.Miquel ARGENTINA

Co Author(s):    S. Bolaños   A. Brochard   L. Paternostro   I. Prieto   F. Pagani        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To report a case of corneal coinfection with Acanthamoeba and Fusarium sp.

Setting:

Hospital Oftalmológico Santa Lucía, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Methods:

A 57 year old female presented due to severe ocular pain in his right eye caused by a corneal ulcer. that was treated for three weeks as a bacterial infection, with moxifloxacin and gatifloxacin drops. Insulin-dependent diabetes patient with bad metabolic control , high blood pressure and asthmatic and contact lens user. Corneal scrapping and deep stromal biopsy were obtained and stained for microscopic evaluation Samples were sent for aerobic and anaerobic bacterial and fungal cultures. Ocular ultrasound was made to rule out vitreitis / endopthalmitis.

Results:

Corneal biopsy and corneal scrapping showed viable Acanthamoeba cysts in the corneal stroma and Fusarium sp. , respectively. Despite aggressive antifungal and antiamoebic topical and systemic treatment initiated after diagnosis, conjunctival pedicle graft was done to avoid central corneal perforation because its thinning, with good evolution respecting to pain and no progression of the infection to vitreous.

Conclusions:

Fusarium sp. and Acanthamoeba may co-infect immune privilege sites, such as the cornea, in immunocompetent hosts like, Insulin-dependent diabetic patient with bad metabolic control and contact lens users , despite the direct microbiological exams that only show fungical infections.

Financial Disclosure:

None