Clinic epidemiologic study of patients with Fusarium spp. keratitis attended at the Ambulatory of Ophthalmology of the Hospital de Clínicas da UNICAMP

• Grant number: 15/01746-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2015
• End date: July 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Maria Luiza Moretti
• Grantee: Guilherme Correa da Fonseca
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Fungal keratitis are a group of diseases that cause inflammatory damage to the cornea, many of them showing a destructive and potentially vision threatening. The fungi of the genus Fusarium are the main agents of fungal keratitis in tropical and subtropical climate. About 60 % of infections in humans are caused by members of the Fusarium solani complex and are associated with injuries of the cornea and endophthalmitis. Fusarium oxysporum complex accounts for 20 % of infections and their components are associated only with injury to the cornea. This study aims to determine the risk factors , epidemiologic and microbiologic profile, clinical outcome of patients and antimicrobial susceptibility of fungal keratitis caused by Fusarium species complex in the Hospital das Clinicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas ( UNICAMP ) . The medical records of approximately 70 patients will be evaluated and followed at the Department of Ophthalmology of the HC / UNICAMP. All of them were diagnosed with fungal keratitis with identification of the fungus in culture medium, according to the technical standards of the Microbiology Laboratory at UNICAMP. The sessions were conducted between 1999 and 2011. Data processing, associated factors, clinical signs, microbiological diagnosis, relapse or progression of the disease, indication for corneal transplantation, antifungal susceptibility testing and molecular identification of species of Fusarium will be determined. These analyzes will lead to a better understanding of fungal keratitis caused by Fusarium spp.