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Antifungal activity of intraocularly used liquids against Aspergillus

Calliope Economou-Stamatelopoulou1, George P Roussopoulos, John C Prouskas

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.

Ophthalmologica. Journal International D'Ophtalmologie. International Journal of Ophthalmology. Zeitschrift Fur Augenheilkunde
|August 31, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Intraocular tamponading agents like perfluorocarbons and silicone oils show antifungal effectiveness against Aspergillus niger, a common cause of endophthalmitis. These agents are safe for use during vitrectomy procedures.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Microbiology
  • Biomaterials Science

Background:

  • Endophthalmitis, an intraocular infection, can be caused by Aspergillus niger.
  • Intraocular tamponading agents are used during vitrectomy to maintain retinal position.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the antifungal effectiveness of commonly used intraocular tamponading agents against Aspergillus niger.
  • To determine the safety of perfluorocarbons, silicone oils, and balanced salt solutions as intraocular tamponades.

Main Methods:

  • Samples of perfluorocarbons (perfluorodecalin, perfluoroctane), silicone oils (Siloil 1,000, Siloil 5,000), and balanced salt solutions (BSS, BSS Plus) were inoculated with Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404.
  • Inoculated samples were incubated at 25°C in the dark.
  • Viable microorganisms were counted at intervals up to 4 weeks.

Main Results:

  • Perfluorocarbons and silicone oils met standard requirements for intraocular use.
  • No microbial growth was observed; some samples showed a decrease in microbial count.
  • Microorganism counts dropped to zero by the end of the 4-week experimental period.

Conclusions:

  • Perfluorocarbons and silicone oils demonstrate antifungal properties against Aspergillus niger.
  • The tested intraocular tamponading agents are safe for use in vitrectomy, showing no detrimental microbial growth.

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