Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare corneal ulcer.
A healthy 28-year-old man developed a slowly progressive corneal ulcer 21 months after an episode of corneal trauma. Acid-fast bacilli were identified in corneal scrapings, and the causative organism was identified as Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare. Medical treatment with topical amikacin and oral rifampin was ineffective, and a therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty was necessary to cure the infection. To the best of our knowledge, this is only the second reported case of a corneal infection caused by a slow-growing nontuberculous mycobacterium (Runyon groups I, II, and III) and the first caused by M. avium-intracellulare. Slowly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria should be considered among those organisms that cause corneal infection, especially in cases characterized by a protracted course and lack of response to conventional antimicrobial therapy.
Knapp
A
A
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville 32610.
Stern
G A
GA
Hood
C I
CI
D000328:Adult; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009162:Mycobacterium avium / Q000302:isolation & purification