Fungal Keratitis in a Critically Ill Post-trauma Patient

Keratitis is the leading cause of corneal blindness in the world. Nearly half the cases are due to a fungal infection known as fungal keratitis (FK). There is much variability in the clinical presentation of FK, so diagnosis can be difficult. With the risks of blindness in disease progression being so high, it is vital to diagnose and treat FK quickly. We present a case of FK due to Candida albicans and Staphylococcus lugdunensis-oxa ss after a motor vehicle accident, its treatment, and the general outcome. A 71-year-old man with a history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, arthritis, and previous tobacco use presented after a helmeted motorcycle accident with back pain and bilateral lower extremity sensory and motor function loss. He suffered many fractures and was in neurogenic shock. He had nearly daily reduction and fixation of multiple axial spinal fractures while in the surgical intensive care unit and was ultimately unable to be successfully extubated. Between two intubations, he complained to his family of blurry vision, and there was notable purulence and corneal haziness in bilateral eyes. The healthcare team initially suspected the eye infection was due to a bacterial etiology, and he was subsequently diagnosed with Pseudomonas pneumonia on respiratory cultures. However, several days of antibiotics did not improve the ocular exam. A corneal culture was positive for C. albicans and S. lugdunensis-oxa ss, and anti-fungal treatment was initiated with ocular improvement. Unfortunately, the patient succumbed to his injuries and further sepsis at another site. With a progressively poor prognosis and machine dependence, he was made do-not-resuscitate per family wishes and died within two hours after cessation of hemodialysis. One of the greatest barriers to diagnosing FK in the United States is the absence of information regarding the disease. Though novel diagnoses and treatment strategies are in development, the fungal etiology of keratitis should be included in the curricula for not just medical students but also for providers and specialists, as the incidence of FK continues to grow with globalization. We also aim to emphasize the importance of a multidisciplinary team in these cases, as ophthalmology and infectious disease specialists should be involved immediately in order to improve patient outcomes.