Laboratorial analyses of fungal keratitis in a University Service

[摘要] Purpose: To present the frequency and type of identified fungi from infectious keratitis. Methods: Retrospective survey of the cases of mycotic keratitis in the period from 1995 to 1998, at the Laboratory of Ocular Microbiology of the Department of Ophthalmology of the Federal University of São Paulo. Description of the fungal isolations, analysis of the causative factors and relation to the number of infectious keratitis in the same period. Results/Conclusion: Mycotic keratitis was diagnosed in 61 (5.48%) of the 1,113 patients who presented ulcer of the cornea of infectious etiology, ranging from 3.4 to 9.25%, per year. Filamentous fungi were identified in 47 cases (77.04%) and yeasts in 14 (22.95%). Fusarium was the most frequent genus (50.82%), followed by Candida (22.95%) and Aspergillus (8.19%). Phaeosiaria sp, Phoma sp, Fonsecaea pedrosoi, Exserohilum rostratum, that are rare etiological fungal agents of keratitis, were also isolated.

[关键词] Fungal eye infections;Corneal ulcer;Keratitis;Cornea;Infecções oculares micóticas;Úlceras de córnea;Ceratite;Córnea