Bacillus laterosporus endophthalmitis

K. F. Yabbara, F. Juffali and R. M. Matossian

A strain of Bacillus laterosporus was isolated from the aqueous and vitreous humors of a patient with endophthalmitis that developed after a penetrating injury of the cornea. Intravitreal inoculation of the isolate into rabbits produced severe panophthalmitis, corneal perforation, orbital cellulitis, and even meningitis. These observations suggest that B laterosporus, hitherto classified as nonpathogenic, is an opportunist that can cause disease when conditions are favorable.