title: Assessment of rose bengal versus riboflavin photodynamic therapy for inhibition of fungal keratitis isolates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the in vitro effect of rose bengal and riboflavin as photosensitizing agents for photodynamic therapy (PDT) on fungal isolates that are common causes of fungal keratitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three isolates (Fusarium solani, Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans) recovered from patients with confirmed fungal keratitis were used in the experiments. Isolates were grown on Sabouraud-Dextrose agar, swabbed, and prepared in suspension, and 1 mL aliquots were inoculated onto test plates in triplicate. Test plates were separated into 5 groups: Group 1, no treatment; Group 2, 0.1% rose bengal alone; Group 3, 518 nm irradiation alone; Group 4, riboflavin PDT (riboflavin + 375 nm irradiation); and Group 5, rose bengal PDT (rose bengal + 518 nm irradiation). Irradiation was performed over a circular area using either a green light-emitting diode (LED) array (peak wavelength: 518 nm) or an ultraviolet-A LED array (peak wavelength: 375 nm). Test plates were irradiated with an energy density of 5.4 J/cm(2). Later, plates were placed in a 30 C incubator and observed for growth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rose bengal-mediated PDT successfully inhibited the growth of all 3 fungal isolates in the irradiated area. All other groups exhibited unrestricted growth throughout the plate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rose bengal-mediated PDT successfully inhibited the growth of 3 types of fungi. No other experimental groups, including riboflavin-mediated PDT, had any inhibitory effect on the isolates. The results might be useful for the treatment of patients suffering from corneal infection.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Biophysics Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami College of Engineering, Coral Gables, Florida.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arboleda
authors.affiliation: Ocular Microbiology Laboratory, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida; Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: Darlene
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Biophysics Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida; Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cabot
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Biophysics Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: Mukesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taneja
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Biophysics Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: Mariela C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Biophysics Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami College of Engineering, Coral Gables, Florida.
authors.forename: Karam
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alawa
authors.affiliation: Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Amescua
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Biophysics Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida; Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: Sonia H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Biophysics Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami College of Engineering, Coral Gables, Florida. Electronic address: jmparel@med.miami.edu.
authors.forename: Jean-Marie
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Parel
mesh_terms: D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D015821:Eye Infections, Fungal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005670:Fusarium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012395:Rose Bengal / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D012395:Rose Bengal; D012256:Riboflavin