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Updated: Jul 27, 2025

Author Spotlight: Unlocking the Mysteries of Oral Potential Malignancies
Published on: August 11, 2023
An Unnamed Human Oral
Redion B Petrela1, Joshua A Lieberman2, Robert T Swan3
1Norton College of Medicine, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
Abstract:
Purpose. We report a case of bacterial keratitis secondary to an undescribed Bergeyella sp. Bergeyella spp. are not easily cultured, and many reports have identified unculturable isolates through broad-range bacterial polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Observations. A healthy 29-year-old male was attempting to repair an acrylic cannabis water pipe when it shattered and a fragment hit him in the left eye. Two weeks later, he presented with foreign body sensation, scleral injection, and photophobia that were refractory to prolonged corticosteroid therapy. Following a subconjunctival triamcinolone injection, the patient developed a hypopyon and multifocal, midstromal, epithelized corneal infiltrates. Broad-range PCR of the aqueous fluid detected deoxyribonucleic acid closely matching the Bergeyella genus. Empiric treatment directed toward gram-negative bacteria led to the clinical resolution of the inflammation. Conclusions and Importance. This is the first reported case of ocular inflammation secondary to a Bergeyella spp.. As broad-range PCR testing becomes more accessible, we anticipate that additional PCR-positive and culture-negative scenarios will occur.
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