Endophthalmitis caused by Shinella species: the first case report

Endophthalmitis is a severe intraocular infection associated with potentially devastating visual outcomes. Shinella, a Gram-negative bacillus commonly found in water and soil, has never been reported as a cause of human disease.

A 49-year-old female farmer presented with a 7-day history of vision loss, ocular irritation, and ophthalmalgia in her right eye. She had been previously misdiagnosed and treated with high-dose systemic corticosteroids at another institution. She underwent emergent pars plana vitrectomy. Vitreous samples were analyzed using conventional culture and metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), which identified Shinella species as the predominant pathogen. Intravitreal amikacin and systemic ceftazidime were initiated on postoperative day 3 after culture confirmed Gram-negative bacilli. Two weeks of targeted antibiotic therapy resulted in complete resolution of intraocular inflammation and near-full visual recovery.

To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of intraocular infection caused by Shinella species. This case highlights Shinella as a potential ocular pathogen and demonstrates the utility of pars plana vitrectomy combined with mNGS for diagnosing atypical intraocular infections.