A NOVEL CASE OF ENDOPHTHALMITIS SECONDARY TO PAENIBACILLUS YONGINENSIS AFTER INTRAVITREAL INJECTION OF AFLIBERCEPT

To report a case of endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection due to Paenibacillus yonginensis .

This is a retrospective case report.

An 87-year-old man with long-standing, neovascular, age-related macular degeneration in his left eye presented with pain and loss of vision three days after intravitreal injection of aflibercept. Examination revealed a hypopyon and vitreous opacities. A diagnostic anterior chamber paracentesis and intravitreal injections of vancomycin and ceftazidime were performed. One month later, vitrectomy was performed for nonclearing vitreous opacities with a good final visual outcome. The causative bacterium, P. yonginensis , was identified with polymerase chain reaction sequencing from the aqueous specimen.

A rare presentation of endophthalmitis caused by P. yonginensis was encountered . Paenibacillus species have been implicated in human infection in recent years. DNA sequencing can allow for the identification of uncommon bacteria.