The diagnosis and management of keratomycoses. I. Cause and diagnosis
R. K. Forster and G. Rebell
Causative isolates, clinical features, and laboratory studies are reported
for sixty-one cases of culture-proved mycotic keratitis. Isolates are
categorized into four groups, including 36 Fusarium solani, 11 other
Moniliaceae species, seven Dematiaceae, and seven yeasts. Of the 61
patients, 42 were men. Mild outdoor trauma was sustained in 14 of 24 cases.
Patients were often referred with a clinical diagnosis of presumed fungal
keratitis, within one week of symptom development, and usually had not
received topically applied steroids prior to referral. Laboratory diagnosis
necessitates prompt corneal scrapings, preferably stained with Giemsa or
Gram, and culture on Sabouraud and blood agar maintained at room
temperature, with growth usually evident by 48 hours.
