Skip to main content
Log in

Fungal Keratitis: Epidemiological Profile in Argentina

  • Clinical Mycology Lab Issues (S Córdoba, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Fungal Infection Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this review is to describe the epidemiology and species distribution of fungi-causing keratitis in Argentina during the past 10 years.

Recent Findings

In Argentina, reports of distribution and frequency of fungal keratitis are scarce and little is known about its current epidemiology.

In the present study, a review of the published data on fungal keratitis was done according to the global context focusing on the current situation in our country.

Summary

Data presented here were obtained in a reference ophthalmological hospital in the Autonomous city of Buenos Aires from 2007 to 2017 and represents an approach to the current status of fungal keratitis. However, larger national data is required to assess the actual epidemiological situation in Argentina.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

  1. • Whither J, Srinivasan M, Upadhyay M. Corneal blindness: a global perspective. Bull World Health Organ. 2001;79:214–21. This article emphasizes the importance of corneal diseases as a cause of blindness worldwide, second only to cataract.

    Google Scholar 

  2. • Xie L, Zhong W, Shi W, Sun S. Spectrum of fungal keratitis in North China. Ophthalmol. 2006;113:1943–8. This article not only describes the etiological agents that cause mycotic keratitis in 596 eyes, but also the associated risk factors. In addition, it recommends the diagnosis with HOK due to the low cost and easy access, and early surgery as treatment.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Ho J, Fernandez M, Rebong R, Carlson A, Kim T, Afshari N. Microbiological profiles of fungal keratitis: a 10-year study at a tertiary referral center. J Ophthalmic Inflamm Infect. 2016. https://doi.org/10.1186/s123480160071.

  4. Chang H, Chodosh J. Diagnostic and therapeutic considerations in fungal keratitis. Int Ophthalmol Clin. 2011;51:3–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Ibrahim MM, Vanini R, Ibrahim FM, Fioriti LS, Furlan EM, Provinzano LM, et al. Epidemiologic aspects and clinical outcome of fungal keratitis in southeastern Brazil. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2009;19:355–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Saha R, Das S. Mycological profile of infectious keratitis from Delhi. Indian J Med Res. 2006;123:159–64.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Cheikhrouhou F, Makni F, Neji S, Trigui A, Sellami H, Trabelsi H, et al. Epidemiological profile of fungal keratitis in Sfax (Tunisia). J Mycol Med. 2014;24:308–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mycmed.2014.06.047.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Müller GG, Kara José N, Castro RS. Epidemiological profile of keratomycosis at the HC-UNICAMP. Arq Bras Oftalmol. 2012;75:247–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Gupta A, Capoor MR, Gupta S, Kochhar S, Tomer A, Gupta V. Clinico-demographical profile of keratomycosis in Delhi, North India. Indian J Med Microbiol. 2014;32:310–4.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Srinivasan M, Gonzales CA, George C, Cevallos V. Epidemiology and aetiological diagnosis of corneal ulceration in Madurai, South India. Br J Ophthalmol. 1997;81:965–71.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Liesegang TJ, Forster RK. Spectrum of microbial keratitis in South Florida. Am J Ophthalmol. 1980;90:38–47.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Varaprasathan G, Miller K, Lietman T, Whitcher JP, Cevallos V, Okumoto M, et al. Trends in the etiology of infectious corneal ulcers at the F. I. Proctor Foundation. Cornea. 2004;23:360–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Ritterband DC, Seedor JA, Shah MK, Shah MK, Koplin RS, McCormick SA. Fungal keratitis at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. Cornea. 2006;25:264–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Pachigolla G, Blomquist P, Cavanagh HD. Microbial keratitis pathogens and antibiotic susceptibilities: a 5-year review of cases at an urban county hospital in North Texas. Eye Contact Lens. 2007;33:45–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Gopinathan U, Sharma S, Garg P, Rao GN. Review of epidemiological features, microbiological diagnosis and treatment outcome of microbial keratitis: experience of over a decade. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2009;57:273–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Bharathi MJ, Ramakrishnan R, Meenakshi R, Mittal S, Shivakumar C, Srinivasan M. Microbiological diagnosis of infective keratitis: comparative evaluation of direct microscopy and culture results. Br J Ophthalmol. 2006;90:1271–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. •• Mellado F, Rojas T, Cumsille C. Fungal keratitis: review of diagnosis and treatment. Arq Bras Oftalmol. 2013;76:52–6. This article compares the sensibility and specificity of the different diagnosis methods available for fungal keratitis. It also provides recommendations for their treatment.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Badiee P, Nejabat M, Alborzi A, Keshavarz F, Shakiba E. Comparative study of gram stain, potassium hydroxide smear, culture and nested PCR in the diagnosis of fungal keratitis. Ophthalmol Res. 2010;44:251–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Thomas P, Kaliamurthy J. Mycotic keratitis: epidemiology, diagnosis and management. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2013;19:210–20.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Hariprasad SM, Mieler WF, Lin TK, Sponsel WE, Graybill JR. Voriconazole in the treatment of fungal eye infections: a review of current literature. Br J Ophthalmol. 2008;92:871–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Shi W, Wang T, Xie L, Li S, Gao H, Liu J, et al. Risk factors, clinical features, and outcomes of recurrent fungal keratitis after corneal transplantation. Ophthalmology. 2010;117:890–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2009.10.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Cinquegrani M. Queratitis micótica en el Hospital Oftalmológico Doctor Enrique Demaría. Tesis de maestría en Micología Medica. Facultad de Medicina Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. 2016. https://med.unne.edu.ar.

  23. • Cabral D, Cattana M, Sosa M, Fernández M, Rojas F, Giusiano G. Agentes productores de úlceras corneales de origen fúngico en el nordeste argentino. XXIII Congreso Argentino de Micología y XXII Jornadas Argentinas de Micología. Lilloa 2014; 51(supl): 135. This is the first article that describes the prevalence of mycotic agents that cause keratitis in the Northeast of Argentina.

  24. Leck AK, Thomas PA, Hagan M, Kaliamurthy J, Ackuaku E, John M, et al. Aetiology of suppurative corneal ulcers in Ghana and South India, and epidemiology of fungal keratitis. Br J Ophthalmol. 2002 Nov;86:1211–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Wilhelmus K. Climatology of dematiaceous fungal keratitis. Am J Ophthalmol. 2005;140:1156–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Ibrahim MM, De Angelis R, Lima AS, Viana de Carvalho GD, Ibrahim FM, Malki LT, et al. A new method to predict the epidemiology of fungal keratitis by monitoring the sales distribution of antifungal eye drops in Brazil. PLoS One. 2012;7:e33775. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033775.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patricia Minervini.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Clinical Mycology Lab Issues

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Minervini, P., Albera, P. & Villada, M. Fungal Keratitis: Epidemiological Profile in Argentina. Curr Fungal Infect Rep 12, 144–148 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12281-018-0325-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12281-018-0325-x

Keywords

Navigation