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Published on: December 18, 2012
Gemella haemolysans infectious crystalline keratopathy
Mohammed K Elmallah1, Wuqaas M Munir, William M Janda
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois Medical Center, Chicago Eye and Ear Infirmary, Chicago, IL, USA.
Purpose:
To report a case of infectious crystalline keratopathy caused by Gemella haemolysans.
Methods:
Observational case report. A 65-year-old woman underwent penetrating keratoplasty for contact lens-related Acanthamoeba keratitis and developed a nonhealing epithelial defect. Despite continued prophylaxis with topical gatifloxacin, small superficial stromal opacities were noted and cultured 6 months after penetrating keratoplasty. The opacities coalesced into a fine, crystalline keratopathy in the superficial stroma with persistent overlying epithelial defect.
Results:
Culture results from corneal scraping showed more than 100 colonies of G. haemolysans. Topical vancomycin was instituted, with complete resolution of the crystalline keratopathy and epithelial defect over the next 2 months.
Conclusions:
G. haemolysans can be a causative organism of infectious crystalline keratopathy. This infection can arise in a postkeratoplasty patient despite prophylaxis with a fourth-generation fluoroquinolone.

