FUNGAL ENDOPHTHALMITIS: Fourteen Years’ Experience From a Center in India

Background: As fungal endophthalmitis is an emerging challenge, the study was carried out to determine the prevalence and the spectrum of fungal agents causing endophthalmitis from a single center, to identify the risk factors, and to correlate clinical course of illness with the agents involved. Methods: The microbiological and clinical records of all fungal endophthalmitis diagnosed during January 1992 through December 2005 at a tertiary center in India were reviewed retrospectively. During this period, treatment protocol of the patients with fungal endophthalmitis was pars plana vitrectomy, instillation of intravitreal amphotericin B (5 &mgr;g) and dexamethasone (400 &mgr;g). Additionally, oral fluconazole (27 patients) or itraconazole (78 patients) was given in 105 patients. Results: Fungal endophthalmitis was diagnosed in 113 patients and they were categorized into: postcataract surgery (53 patients), posttrauma (48), and endogenous (12) groups. Aspergillus species was the most common (54.4%) agent isolated, followed by yeasts (24.6%), and melanized fungi (10.5%). Among Aspergilli, Aspergillus flavus was the most common (24.6%) species whereas Candida tropicalis (8.8%) was in the yeast. Other rare agents isolated include Fonsecaea pedrosoi, Fusarium solani, Paecilomyces lilacinus, Pseudallescheria boydii, Colletotrichum dematium, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Trichosporon cutaneum. Visual acuity after therapy remained <20/400 in 77.4%, 64.3%, 50.0%, and 16.7% patients infected with Aspergillus species, yeasts, melanized fungi and other mycelial fungi, respectively. The outcome was unfavorable in 52.8%, 66.7%, and 33.3% patients with postoperative, posttrauma, and endogenous groups, respectively. Conclusions: This study is the largest series of fungal endophthalmitis from a single center and highlights the fact that a vast array of fungi can cause endophthalmitis though Aspergilli are the common agents. The combination of pars plana vitrectomy and intravitreal amphotericin B with or without fluconazole/itraconazole was the common mode of therapy in such patients. However, the main challenge is suspecting fungal etiology at the time of presentation and accurately diagnosing those patients.