Post-traumatic corneal mucormycosis caused by Absidia corymbifera.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to report a case of mycotic keratitis caused by the organism Absidia corymbifera (class Zygomycetes, order Mucorales, family Mucoraceae).


METHODS
Case report.


METHODS
A healthy 37-year-old farmer scratched his left cornea on a galvanized nail while working in his barn. Within 24 hours, an infiltrate in the interior cornea developed that advanced superiorly, reducing the vision to hand motion by the following day. He was treated with topical and systemic antibiotics and antifungal medications, but the infiltrate spread to the adjacent nasal limbus.


METHODS
An 11-mm penetrating keratoplasty was performed with an adjacent nasal 7-mm superficial lamellar sclerectomy.


METHODS
Pathologic examination of the keratoplasty specimen.


RESULTS
Corneal cultures grew A. corymbifera. The organisms were identified in tissue sections by light, fluorescent, electron, and immunoelectron microscopy.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors believe that this is the first reported case of keratitis caused by an Absidia species and, as such, represents an unusual form of mucormycosis in an otherwise healthy individual.
Marshall
D H
DH
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ottawa Eye Institute, Ottawa General Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
Brownstein
S
S
Jackson
W B
WB
Mintsioulis
G
G
Gilberg
S M
SM
al-Zeerah
B F
BF
D000328:Adult; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D009090:Mucorales / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009091:Mucormycosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000150:complications*
D000935:Antifungal Agents