Therapeutic Penetrating Keratoplasty in a Case of Corneal Perforation Caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Infection

Abstract

Background: Corneal infection of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is uncommon and usually limited to the anterior stroma. However, we observed a case of corneal stromal perforation caused by this fungus under a compromised condition. Case: A 73-year-old woman consulted us with a severe corneal ulceration. She was a tangerine orange farmer who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for more than ten years. Before consultation with us, she received pterygium excision in her right eye. She then developed a corneal ulceration and received topical glucocorticoid therapy upon diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis-related stromal ulcer in the eye. At the first consultation with us, a corneal ulceration was observed in the inferotemporal area of her right cornea. Biological examination detected a filamentous fungus, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Topical and systemic antifungal treatments were not significantly effective. Fourteen days after consultation, the lesion grew worse, leading to stromal perforation, which was treated by therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty using a preserved corneal button. Conclusions: Topical glucocorticoid could accelerate the growth of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides before diagnosis, even though the primary cause of corneal ulceration development might be rheumatoid arthritis.

Identifying the Biological Characteristics of Anthracnose Pathogens of Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) in China

“…It has been reported that there are globally 16 species of Colletotrichum spp. complex [17][18][19][20], which can infect many cash crops, fruit trees, vegetables, and ornamental plants, causing symptoms such as wilting, leaf lesions, and fruit rot, resulting in severe economic losses [21][22][23][24], and some species can even directly affect human health; for example, C. chlorophyti and C. gloeosporioides are capable of causing fungal inflammation of the cornea [25,26]. Colletotrichum spp.…”

Combined umbilical cord patching with amniotic membrane graft for corneal surface reconstruction

“…Management of corneal perforation comprises a broad spectrum of therapies, such as bandage contact lenses, gluing, and human amniotic membrane (HAM) transplantation [1]. Penetrating keratoplasty is an efficient treatment; however, because of a shortage of corneal donors, corneal demand exceeds the corneal supply [3]. Moreover, despite the satisfactory success rate of corneal allograft transplantation, infective corneal perforations pose a significant risk to corneal transplantation because of possible graft rejection following recent corneal infections [4][5][6].…”