Photo Credit: CentralITAlliance

The following is a summary of “Treatment Strategies for Filamentous Fungi Keratitis,” published in the July 2024 issue of Ophthalmology by Storr et al.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study analyzing clinical outcomes in patients with filamentous fungi keratitis, assessing the effectiveness of various antifungal therapies and the impact of adjunctive topical steroids.

They collected data from 25 eyes of 23 patients diagnosed with filamentous fungi keratitis and isolated cultures between October 2013 and December 2020. Data regarding best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), clinical presentations, symptoms, risk factors, and treatment results were obtained from the patient’s medical records.

The result showed that improvement in BCVA was observed in 68% of eyes. The mean BCVA was increased from 0.75 logMAR (median 0.40, SD 0.82, range 0–2.3) to 0.48 logMAR (median 0.10, SD 0.88, range -0.1 to 3). The most frequently administered topical antifungal treatment consisted of natamycin 5% and voriconazole 2% (44% of eyes), followed by voriconazole 2% in 36% of cases. Topical steroids for inflammation were used in 52% of cases, and penetrating keratoplasty (pKP) was performed in 16% of eyes.

Investigators concluded that despite the diagnostic and treatment challenges associated with filamentous fungi keratitis, the availability of natamycin 5% enhances favorable outcomes.

Source: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12325-024-02929-3