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Query: UMLS:C0022568 (keratitis)
 5,133 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

During a nine-year period ending in 1977, we scraped and cultured 663 corneal ulcers. Of these cases of keratitis, 238 were bacterial infections, 133 were fungal, and 292 were culture-negative. Pseudomonas was the predominant bacterial organism, and Fusarium was the most common fungus isolated. November was the peak month for both bacterial and fungal keratitis. Direct inoculation of multiple media, including Sabouraud's agar, blood agar, chocolate agar, thioglycollate liquid, and brain-heart infusion liquid, enhanced the recovery rate; each medium provides special nutrients for different organisms. The Gram and Giemsa stains were satisfactory, but the newer Grocott methenamine silver stain for fungi and the limulus lysate test for gram-negative bacteria proved to be clinically useful. The clinical profile of patients with fungal keratitis differed from that of patients with Pseudomonas keratitis. Thirty-three percent of the patients with Pseudomonas keratitis were wearing contact lenses at the time of their infection, and the remainder had a high incidence of predisposing ocular conditions. Fungal keratitis tended to occur in healthy male patients who had been subjected to outdoor trauma.
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PMID:Spectrum of microbial keratitis in South Florida. 739 57

Acanthamoeba is one of the most common free-living amoebae. It is widespread in the environment and can infect humans, causing diseases such as keratitis and encephalitis. In this study, we used a strain of Acanthamoeba castellanii (UAH-T17c3) isolated from cooling towers, and we evaluated the efficiency of three different culture media in its growth, with the aim of selecting one which allowed better growth, was easier to prepare, and was able to keep the trophozoites by long periods of time. We compared the growth of A. castellanii in peptone-yeast extract-glucose (PYG, the most commonly used medium to grow this strain) to the growth in PYG-Bactocasitone (PYG with 2% Bactocasitone) and brain-heart infusion broth (BHI is a standard microbiological medium rarely used in the culture of amoebae). Flow cytometry and cell count results showed all three media allowed the growth of trophozoites. PYG-Bactocasitone was shown to be the best for long-term culture. The BHI and PYG-Bactocasitone media have not been used for Acanthamoeba spp. trophozoite growth. In view of the results, we can affirm that these media are adequate to grow the above-mentioned strain for in vitro screening assays.
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PMID:Acanthamoeba castellanii: in vitro UAH-T17c3 trophozoite growth study in different culture media. 2223 Dec 63

Fungal keratitis, an eye infection with poor prognosis, is difficult to treat and can lead to loss of vision. Among filamentous fungi Scedosporium spp. rarely lead to fungal keratitis. Here we present a case of keratitis caused by Scedosporium apiospermum. A 61-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital with the complaints of right eye pain and decreased vision after a foreign body trauma to the right eye. The patient was diagnosed as keratitis by biomicroscopic examination. Conjunctival swabs collected from both eyes were inoculated onto sheep blood agar, chocolate agar, eosin methylene blue agar and Sabouraud dextrose agar. Corneal scrapings from the right eye were inoculated onto the same solid media by "C-streak" method, and in brain-heart-infusion broth by immersion. While gram-stained smears of conjunctival swabs showed no significant finding, smears of corneal scrapings revealed abundant neutrophils and profuse septate hyphae. Fungal keratitis was diagnosed and topical enhanced amphotericin B (0.5 mg/ml) therapy was initiated with netilmicin sulfate and oxytetracycline HCl plus polymyxin B sulfate. At the 10th day of therapy a mold growth was detected in corneal scraping cultures and was identified microscopically as S.apiospermum. Based on the relevant literature, therapy was changed to enhanced topical voriconazole (2 mg/ml) applied hourly, plus systemic voriconazole administration. At the third day of treatment, reduction of epithelial defect and decline in the focus of keratitis were observed. In the following days, however, a progression occurred in the focus of keratitis and 5% natamycin ophthalmic suspension was added to the therapy. Since the patient did not respond to any of the medical treatments, therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty was planned; yet, the patient refused the operation and was discharged with her own request. As far as the local literature was concerned, this is the first report of keratitis caused by S.apiospermum in Turkey. Though a very rare causative agent of keratitis, S.apiospermum is generally resistant to antifungal therapy and often require surgical treatment. Especially in patients with predisposing factors, this organism should be kept in mind as a potential causative agent and relevant microbiological examinations should be performed.
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PMID:[Fungal keratitis caused by Scedosporium apiospermum: first report from Turkey]. 2481 76