Year : 2016 | Volume : 3 | Issue : 1 | Page : 27
Mycotic keratitis due to Neoscytalidium dimidiatum: A rare case
Mahmood Dhahir Al-Mendalawi
Department of Paediatrics, Al-Kindy College of Medicine, Baghdad University, Baghdad, Iraq
P.O. Box 55302, Baghdad Post Office, Baghdad
Al-Mendalawi MD. Mycotic keratitis due to Neoscytalidium dimidiatum: A rare case. Community Acquir Infect 2016;3:27
Al-Mendalawi MD. Mycotic keratitis due to Neoscytalidium dimidiatum: A rare case. Community Acquir Infect [serial online] 2016 [cited 2023 Jan 30];3:27. Available from: http://www.caijournal.com/text.asp?2016/3/1/27/179234
I read with interest the case report by Tendolkar et al. on the mycotic keratitis (MK) due to Neoscytalidium dimidiatum. [1] It is obvious that MK is generally a serious ocular infection, particularly in the tropical countries. Its pathogenesis appears to involve agent factors, such as invasiveness and toxigenicity, and host factors, such as trauma and intrinsic defects in immunity. [2] Among causes of poor immunity, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is the leading. In many parts of the world, particularly Africa, MK represents an important indicator of HIV infection where 81.2% of cases with MK were found to be HIV positive. [3] In India, HIV infection is still a substantial health threat. The recently published data pointed out that the estimated adult HIV prevalence retained a declining trend in India, following its peak in 2002 at a level of 0.41% (within bounds 0.35-0.47%). By 2010 and 2011, it levelled at estimates of 0.28% (0.24-0.34%) and 0.27% (0.22-0.33%), respectively. [4] Although the case in question had a history of ocular trauma, an important risk factor to acquire MK, I still presume that CD4 count and viral overload measurements were solicited to be done to disclose concomitant HIV infection. Despite that limitation, neoscytalidium dimidiatum associated keratitis in the case in question could truly expand the spectrum of MK recently reported in India. [5]
Tendolkar U, Tayal RA, Baveja SM, Shinde C. Mycotic keratitis due to Neoscytalidium dimidiatum: A rare case. Community Acquir Infect 2015;2:142-4.
Thomas PA, Kaliamurthy J. Mycotic keratitis: Epidemiology, diagnosis and management. Clin Microbiol Infect 2013;19:210-20.
Mselle J. Fungal keratitis as an indicator of HIV infection in Africa. Trop Doct 1999;29:133-5.
Raj Y, Sahu D, Pandey A, Venkatesh S, Reddy D, Bakkali T, et al. Modelling and estimation of HIV prevalence and number of people living with HIV in India, 2010-2011. Int J STD AIDS 2015. pii: 0956462415612650.
Punia RS, Kundu R, Chander J, Arya SK, Handa U, Mohan H. Spectrum of fungal keratitis: Clinicopathologic study of 44 cases. Int J Ophthalmol 2014;7:114-7.
Al-Mendalawi MD
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