Acanthamoeba keratitis with live isolates treated with cryosurgery and fluconazole.
OBJECTIVE
To report live, active trophozoites in an eye with Acanthamoeba keratitis that resembled Acanthamoeba polyphagia in the anterior chamber fluid obtained by transcorneal tap.


METHODS
After prediagnostic therapy had failed, we performed cryosurgery to break the corneal cell walls and treated the patient with oral fluconazole.


RESULTS
The condition resolved after 8 weeks of oral fluconazole therapy. Residual leukoma was treated by corneal graft.


CONCLUSIONS
Live, motile Acanthamoeba can be isolated from an anterior chamber tap; combination therapy with oral fluconazole after corneal cryosurgery may be effective.
Amoils
S P
SP
Department of Ophthalmology, Morningside Clinic, Johannesburg, South Africa. percy@icon.co.za
Heney
C
C
D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015823:Acanthamoeba Keratitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000009:adverse effects; D003452:Cryosurgery; D004209:Disposable Equipment; D005260:Female; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D015725:Fluconazole