Keratomicoses caused by dematiaceous fungi

Abstract

THE CLINICAL APPEARANCE OF KERATOMYCOSIS IS FAIRLY CHARACTERISTIC, AND A PROBABLE DIAGNOSIS OF THE DISEASE MAY BE MADE WHENEVER SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS ARE PRESENT TO A GREATER OR LESSER DEGREE: VIO LENT OCULAR REACTION, WITH PHOTOPHOBIA AND CILIARY IRRITATION. ULCER ON THE CORNEA, VARYING FROM A FEW MILLIMETERS TO THE SIZE OF THE ENTIRE CORNEA. IN SOME CASES, HYPHA-LIKE RADIATIONS APPEAR ON THE EDGE OF THE ULCER THROUGHOUT THE STROMA; THEY ARE INFILTRATED LEUKOCYTES. SOMETIMES SMALL ROUND SATELLITE LESIONS ARE ALSO SEEN. A DENSE WHITE SPOT CONSIS TING OF FIBRIN AND LEUKOCYTES ON THE CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM. A CHARACTERIS TIC, STERILE OR CONTAMINATED HYPOPYON, WHICH MAY EVEN OCCUR WITH SMALL LESIONS