Recent advances on mycotic keratitis caused by dematiaceous hyphomycetes

Abstract

Dematiaceous hyphomycetes (DH) are darkly pigmented fungi ubiquitously found all over the world as plant pathogens and saprophytes, and many of the members of this group have emerged as opportunistic pathogens. These fungi are responsible for a wide variety of infections including mycotic keratitis, which is considered as one of the major causes of corneal blindness, particularly in tropical and subtropical countries with an annual global burden of about 1 000 000 patients. The infection is more common in workers working in an outdoor environment. Moreover, trauma is found to be the most important predisposing cause of mycotic keratitis. Considerable delay in diagnosis and scarcity of effective pharmacological drugs are the major factors responsible for increased morbidity and visual impairment. Considering the crucial role of DH in mycotic keratitis, in the present review, we have focused on major DH with special emphasis on their pathogenicity, diagnosis and treatment strategies.

The Clinical Features and Prognostic Factors for Treatment Outcomes of Dematiaceous Fungal Keratitis over 9 Years at a Tertiary Eye Care in Northern Thailand

“…Previous studies have indicated that the most frequently associated dematiaceous species were Curvularia spp., Alternaria spp., Exserohilum spp., and Cladosporium spp. [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Among these species, Curvularia spp.…”

“…Among these species, Curvularia spp. was the most common cause of keratitis [ 4 , 6 , 15 , 25 , 26 ]. However, in our study, Lasiodiplodia spp.…”

Eye Infections Caused by Filamentous Fungi: Spectrum and Antifungal Susceptibility of the Prevailing Agents in Germany

“…Other important eye-infecting genera are Aspergillus (13.0%), Purpureocillium (12.4%), Alternaria (4.7%), and Scedosporium (4.7%). Strikingly, dematiaceous genera such as Alternaria and Cladosporium contribute to a smaller extent compared to studies of tropical and subtropical regions with more intensive UV radiation [ 2 , 12 , 36 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 ]. Dematiaceous genera such as Bipolaris and Curvularia , which are important eye pathogens in the tropics and subtropics, were not sent to the NRZMyk.…”

First Report of a Case of Ocular Infection Caused by Purpureocillium lilacinum in Poland

“…Most filamentous fungi are saprophytic microorganisms that are found in a variety of natural habitats. Human exposure to fungus-contaminated plants or other organic matter may facilitate exogenous infections of the eye, resulting in corneal trauma [ 21 , 22 , 23 ].…”