Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2026
05:22
Iris Fixation via External Pentagram Suturing
Published on: May 5, 2022
Pythium insidiosum keratitis in Israel
Tasha Y Tanhehco1, Rebecca C Stacy, Leonel Mendoza
1Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Eye & Contact Lens
|January 22, 2011
Summary
This case report details the first instance of Pythium insidiosum keratitis linked to contact lens wear in Israel. Despite aggressive treatment, the infection led to enucleation, highlighting the need for early surgical intervention in ocular pythiosis.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Medical Mycology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Pythium insidiosum is an aquatic oomycete causing rare but severe human infections.
- Contact lens wear and exposure to contaminated water are risk factors for Pythium keratitis.
- Ocular pythiosis is associated with high morbidity and can be challenging to treat.
Observation:
- A 21-year-old contact lens wearer developed a corneal ulcer in Israel.
- The ulcer, initially treated with antibiotics, progressed despite medical therapy.
- Histopathology and DNA sequencing confirmed Pythium insidiosum infection.
Findings:
- The patient underwent two corneal transplants and maximal antifungal therapy.
- Despite interventions, the infection recurred, leading to the need for enucleation.
- This case represents the first culture-proven Pythium keratitis linked to contact lens wear originating from Israel.
Implications:
- Early surgical intervention is crucial for managing ocular pythiosis.
- Fungal keratitis non-responsive to antifungals warrants speciation to identify Pythium.
- Prompt diagnosis and aggressive management are vital to prevent vision loss in Pythium keratitis.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Fungal Phylum Microsporidia
Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
01:28Amebiasis
Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...
01:30Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...