Outbreak of Pythium keratitis during rainy season: a case series.

PURPOSE: To describe typical clinical and laboratory characteristics of severe fungal keratitis caused by Pythium insidiosum during the rainy season in Northeast Thailand and to report the efficacy of P. insidiosum vaccine in the treatment of Pythium keratitis. METHODS: A series of hospital-based consecutive cases of Pythium keratitis were diagnosed and treated at Srinagarind Hospital (Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand). The clinical presentations, diagnostic tests, and management are described. RESULTS: Severe fungal keratitis caused by P. insidiosum was diagnosed in 5 eyes of 4 patients between May 2009 and July 2009. All cases had a history of fungal keratitis after being exposed to contaminated water. Upon slit-lamp examination, subepithelial and superficial stromal opacities were observed in a reticular pattern in all cases. Pythium insidiosum was identified and confirmed by both microbiological culture and polymerase chain reaction. Clinical worsening was detected after conventional treatment with antifungal agents. Therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty with either donor cornea or scleral graft was performed together with topical antifungal administration and P. insidiosum vaccination. Subsequent evisceration was performed in 1 eye. CONCLUSIONS: An outbreak of Pythium keratitis in Northeast Thailand was reported. Distinctive clinical features are a suggestive clue for early diagnosis. Combination treatment including topical antifungal agents, radical surgery, and P. insidiosum vaccine may be considered for the management of Pythium keratitis.

A randomized controlled trial of intralesional bevacizumab injection on primary pterygium: preliminary results.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intralesional injection of bevacizumab on primary pterygium treatment. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, each primary pterygium patient was randomized to receive either an intralesional injection of bevacizumab 2 mg (1 mg/0.04 mL) or a combination of topical antihistamine (antazoline HCl 0.05%) and vasoconstrictor (tetrahydrozoline HCl 0.04%) as a control. The main outcome measurements were symptoms and signs (including eye irritation, epiphora, redness, amount of discharge, inflammation and elevation of pterygium, and percentage of corneal pterygium area). RESULTS: A total of 74 pterygium eyes in 66 patients were randomized and allocated into a treatment group (N = 34) and a control group (N = 40). In the treatment group, there was a statistically significant reduction of symptoms (including irritation, photophobia, epiphora, redness, discharge, and blurred vision) and signs (inflammation and corneal pterygium area) compared with the baseline, up to at least 6 months. Between the treatment and control groups, no significant differences were found for all visits with respect to the (1) symptoms, (2) signs, and (3) percentage of corneal pterygium. CONCLUSIONS: Intralesional bevacizumab may have a therapeutic effect on symptoms and signs of primary pterygium for at least 6 months (ie, the follow-up period), with no serious ocular or systemic adverse effects.