A Narrative Review of Microsporidial Infections of the Cornea

Ophthalmol Ther. 2020 Jun;9(2):265-278. doi: 10.1007/s40123-020-00243-z. Epub 2020 Mar 10.

Abstract

Microsporidia are a rare and commonly misdiagnosed cause of corneal infection, accounting for approximately 0.4% of cases of microbial keratitis in some populations. Ocular microsporidiosis most often presents as either microsporidial keratoconjunctivitis (MKC) or microsporidial stromal keratitis (MSK). Though these two clinical entities exhibit similar symptomology, they are distinguished from one another by the time course for disease progression, findings on slit-lamp examination, and response to medical therapy. This review summarizes the current literature on the etiology and clinical presentation of microsporidial infections of the cornea and highlights ongoing developments in available diagnostic modalities and treatment regimens.

Keywords: Keratoconjunctivitis; Microsporidiosis; Stromal keratitis.

Publication types

  • Review