Chrysosporium parvum keratomycosis.

PURPOSE

To report a case of corneal infection with Chrysosporium parvum, a filamentous fungus usually associated with pulmonary infections.

METHODS

A 43-year-old Saudi man had a corneal stromal infiltrate and perforation of his left eye. He was treated with a therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty and topical and systemic antifungal therapy. Corneal scrapings, microbiologic evaluation, and histopathologic examination of the surgical specimen were performed to establish the diagnosis. After the development of recurrent stromal keratitis at the graft-host junction, similar diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers were performed.

RESULTS

Corneal scrapings and histopathologic examination were positive for numerous septate hyphae with endospores, consistent with a diagnosis of filamentous keratomycosis. Microbiologic isolation confirmed the diagnosis of Chrysosporium parvum. Similar diagnostic maneuvers for recurrent keratitis produced identical results.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first case of Chrysosporium parvum keratomycosis.