Trends in Fungal Keratitis in the United States, 2001 to 2007

Contact lens-related microbial keratitis: how have epidemiology and genetics helped us with pathogenesis and prophylaxis

“…58 A recent retrospective multicentre case series (2001-2007), reported on 695 cases of fungal keratitis including 283 contact lens wearers. 60 Although the rate of Fusarium keratitis among contact lens wearers had reduced to the pre-outbreak levels, the rates of non-Fusarium fungal keratitis remained elevated. 60 A year after the Fusarium outbreak, there was a similar pattern of increased reporting of contact lens-related keratitis in daily wear soft contact lens use due to Acanthamoeba.…”

“…60 Although the rate of Fusarium keratitis among contact lens wearers had reduced to the pre-outbreak levels, the rates of non-Fusarium fungal keratitis remained elevated. 60 A year after the Fusarium outbreak, there was a similar pattern of increased reporting of contact lens-related keratitis in daily wear soft contact lens use due to Acanthamoeba. [61][62][63] Independent risk factors were established in two case control studies (Table 5) and both Unlike the previous outbreak, however, o60% of cases used this product.…”

Fungal antioxidant pathways promote survival against neutrophils during infection

“…These organisms are also a major cause of infectious blindness and corneal ulcers in immunocompetent individuals, and in contrast to individuals with systemic and pulmonary fungal infections, there is no indication that fungal keratitis patients are other than fully immunocompetent (3,4). In the hot and humid southeastern United States, fungal infections of the cornea account for up to 35% of all corneal ulcers (5,6).…”

Fungal Keratitis - A Brief Overview

“…Traditionally, it is considered a disease of rural areas and is frequently caused by trauma with vegetative material. However its incidence is increasing in urban areas due to widespread use of contact lenses and topical steroid usage [11].…”