title: Intrastromal noninflammatory bacterial colonization of a corneal graft.
abstract: Progressive branching, needlelike stromal opacities were observed within a corneal transplant. Analysis of the corneal button by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy disclosed a localized epithelial ingrowth into the stroma at a suture tract accompanied by intrastromal pockets of gram-positive cocci extending across the cornea. No inflammatory reaction was found in the areas of bacterial colonization. To our knowledge, noninflammatory bacterial colonization of the stroma of a corneal transplant has not been previously described.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections; D003315:Cornea / Q000382:microbiology*; D003318:Corneal Opacity / Q000209:etiology*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D005260:Female; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D013537:Sutures