Fusarium Eye Infections - Keratitis and Endophthalmitis
Fungal Keratitis is an infection of the cornea that is most commonly caused by trauma to eye from stick/thorn/plant
• Up to 1/3 of fungal keratitis infections will result in corneal deformation and invasion into deeper eye structures
• S/sx include eye pain & redness, eye discharge, blurry vision, photophobia, excessive tearing
• In 2006, CDC investigated Fusarium keratitis outbreak a/w contact lens solution (PMID: 16617289)
Fungal Endophthalmitis is infection of the vitreous and/or aqueous humors
• Devastating infection and may lead to irreversible blindness w/in hours-days of symptom onset
• Can either be exogenous *most common* (microbes from external source are introduced into eye)
• Or endogenous (hematogenous seeding during fungemia)
• Symptoms can include floaters and subtle decrease in vision progressing to vision loss - important to remember that eye pain can be minimal or absent!
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