Incidence of Fungal Infection in Positive Donor Rim Cultures after Corneal Transplantation. (19th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shatten, Julia; Kamyar, Roheena; Dhaliwal, Deepinder; Kowalski, Regis P.; Jhanji, Vishal
• Is Part Of: Ocular immunology and inflammation. Volume 30:Number 4(2022)
• Page Start: 864
• Page End: 868
• Publication Date: 2022-05-19
• Subjects: Keratitis -- fungal keratitis -- keratoplasty -- infection; Eye -- Diseases -- Immunological aspects -- Periodicals; Eye -- Inflammation -- Periodicals; 617.7
• DOI: 10.1080/09273948.2020.1841806
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0927-3948

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Purpose: To determine the clinical outcomes of corneal transplant patients that had positive rim cultures for fungi. Methods: Retrospective study. Results: Of 1276 rim cultures obtained between 2009 and 2019, 16 were positive for fungus (incidence of 1.25%). Clinical data were available for 12 patients. Candida and Cladosporium species were the most common organisms. Recipient ages ranged from 51 to 86 (median age 69 years; 9 males, 7 females). The most common surgery was Endothelial Keratoplasty (n = 8). There were no instances of fungal keratitis or endophthalmitis. Three patients were treated with prophylactic antimycotics. One patient developed bacterial keratitis. One patient had a varicella zoster virus reactivation without corneal involvement. Conclusions: This study adds to the growing data on the low rate of fungal keratitis and endophthalmitis after a corneal transplant, even in the case of positive rim cultures. This study also suggests that positive rim cultures do not advance the risk of postoperative fungal infection in the recipient.