Editor,— Acanthamoeba keratitis is a serious and often misdiagnosed corneal infection that can lead to severe loss of vision. Signs and symptoms of Acanthamoeba keratitis may also occur with bacterial, viral, or other fungal corneal disease, complicating the diagnosis of early stage Acanthamoeba keratitis. Since advanced Acanthamoeba keratitis is difficult to treat, early and accurate diagnosis is imperative for treatment. Therefore, the easy and rapid method to detect the pathogens is needed.
Recently, Fungiflora Y staining solution has been developed to detect fungi.1 This staining solution, like calcofluor white,2 has a specific affinity for chitin and cellulose which are components of fungal cell wall.1 The endocysts of Acanthamoeba also contain cellulose3 and has been ascertained to be stained with Fungiflora Y.4 However, the clinical utility of Fungiflora Y in the diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis has not yet been reported.
We report a case of severe Acanthamoeba keratitis diagnosed with the help of Fungiflora Y staining. We also discuss the possible clinical use of Fungiflora …