A Case of Scedosporium apiospermum Keratitis Confirmed by a Molecular Genetic Method.
10.3343/kjlm.2008.28.4.307
- Author:
Seoyoung YOON
1
;
Sinyoung KIM
;
Kyung A LEE
;
Heejung KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. hjkim12@yuhs.ac
- Publication Type:Case Report ; English Abstract
- Keywords:
Scedosporium apiospermum;
Fungal keratitis;
Fungal PCR
- MeSH:
Amphotericin B/therapeutic use;
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use;
Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use;
Cornea/microbiology;
Drug Therapy, Combination;
Eye Infections, Fungal/*diagnosis/microbiology;
Humans;
Keratitis/*diagnosis/microbiology;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Polymerase Chain Reaction;
Scedosporium/genetics/growth & development/*isolation & purification;
Sequence Analysis, DNA
- From:The Korean Journal of Laboratory Medicine
2008;28(4):307-311
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
A 54-yr-old male, who was treated by chemotherapy for gastric cancer 15 months ago, presented to Yongdong Severance Hospital, Seoul, with complaints of pain in his right eye caused by a foreign body from the ground in the previous week. He had been treated with topical and oral antibacterial in addition to antifungal agents, but did not show significant clinical improvement. After a positive corneal culture with mold, topical amphotericin B was added to the initial regimen. The mold was identified as Scedosporium apiospermum by macroscopic and microscopic morphologies and the nucleotide sequences of a fungal PCR product showing 99% homology with those of S. apiospermum (EF151349). He recovered with good results at 25 days after corneal epithelial debridement. The early diagnosis of S. apiospermum keratitis is very important for proper treatment. It is recommended that molecular diagnostic methods such as fungal PCR and sequencing be done with conventional cultures whenever a fungal infection is suspected.
