Abstract:

Objective To report a rare case of Aspergillus terreus endogenous endophthalmitis in a nonimmunocompromised patient and laboratory research.Methods A vitreous biopsy was taken for culture and direct smear microscopy,and further identified the isolate from culture positive plates by phenotype observation and molecular methods.In vitro antifungal susceptibility test was done by E-test method.Results Fungal spores and septate hyphae were found in vitreous direct smear.Tiny hair like colonies growed after 7 days in culture.The isolate was final identified as Aspergillus terreus according to morphology of the fungus and the results of phenotypic and molecular identification.The isolate's MICs (μg/mL) to itraconazole,voriconazole,amphotericin B were 0.25,0.125,2,respectively.Conclusion Early diagnostic and therapeutic vitrectomy was useful to obtaining sufficient samples for organism identification and also to reduce organism load and inflammatory mediators in the eye.Reporting the direct smear results timely to clinical physician is very meaningful for the initial selection of antimicrobial agents.For the clinical isolated filamentous fungi with atypical phenotype,ITS sequence analysis and other molecular methods can help to identify the fungal pathogen promptly.

Key words: Aspergillus terreus, endophthalmitis, molecular identification