Identification and Characterization of Fusarium proliferatum, a New Species of Fungi that Cause Fungal Keratitis

Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 20;8(1):4859. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-23255-z.

Abstract

Fusarium proliferatum (F. proliferatum) is known as a pathogen of corn and other crops, but its role in fungal keratitis has not been well investigated. Among 877 Fusarium isolates, we identified 155 (17.7%) stains as F. proliferatum according to their morphological features and partial DNA sequencing of translation elongation factor-[Formula: see text] (EF-[Formula: see text]) in this study. In vitro antifungal susceptibility tests showed that the F. proliferatum strains were sensitive to natamycin and vorionazole but resistant to amphotericin B, fluconazol, ketoconazole and itaconazole. Most of the F. proliferatum-positive keratitis patients (44/155,28.4%) were aged 51-60 years old. The main cause of infection was injury by a plant (51/155, 32.9%). A combination of 1% amphotericin B and 3% ketoconazole cured 45.2% (14/31) and a combination of 0.5% natamycin and 0.5% voriconazole cured 59.1% (13/22) of F. proliferatum-positive patients. The date suggests that F. proliferatum identified through EF-1ɑ DNA sequencing is an important new species that causes fungal keratitis. Based on antifungal susceptibility, treatment with a combination of 0.5% natamycin and 0.5% voriconazole improves the therapeutic efficacy in F. prolifertum-positive patients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Child
  • Corneal Ulcer / drug therapy*
  • Corneal Ulcer / microbiology
  • Corneal Ulcer / pathology
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Eye Infections, Fungal / drug therapy*
  • Eye Infections, Fungal / pathology
  • Female
  • Fusariosis / drug therapy*
  • Fusarium / classification
  • Fusarium / cytology
  • Fusarium / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Middle Aged
  • Natamycin / therapeutic use*
  • Ophthalmic Solutions / therapeutic use
  • Peptide Elongation Factor 1 / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Voriconazole / therapeutic use*
  • Young Adult
  • Zea mays / adverse effects
  • Zea mays / microbiology

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Ophthalmic Solutions
  • Peptide Elongation Factor 1
  • Natamycin
  • Voriconazole