Fungal endophthalmitis. An experimental study with a review of 17 human ocular cases
T. W. McGuire, J. D. Bullock, J. D. Bullock Jr, B. L. Elder and J. W. Funkhouser
Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, OH.
Pseudallescheria boydii is an opportunistic fungus that is histologically
indistinguishable from Aspergillus fumigatus. Pseudallescheria boydii has
been reported to cause endophthalmitis, orbital cellulitis, and corneal
ulceration and is, thus, important to the ophthalmologist. A clinical
review of 17 patients with P boydii ophthalmic infections is presented. In
addition, animal models of endophthalmitides caused by A fumigatus and P
boydii were created and compared. Dutch-Belted rabbits used for the
experimental models were immunosuppressed with methylprednisolone acetate
(Depomedrol). Exogenous and endogenous models of P boydii endophthalmitis
were created in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed animals. An exogenous
model of A fumigatus endophthalmitis was created in immunocompetent and
immunosuppressed animals for comparison. The clinical and histopathologic
features of A fumigatus and P boydii endophthalmitis are indistinguishable
in the immunocompetent and immunosuppressed exogenously infected rabbits.
Endogenous P boydii endophthalmitis has a similar fundus appearance to that
caused by Nocardia asteroides.
