Ophthalmic infections caused by Aspergillus nidulans: A case series and short review of literature.

Background and Purpose: Although Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus are more commonly implicated with ocular infections; there are some saprophytic species, such as Aspergillus nidulans (A. nidulans) which may occasionally lead to serious ocular infections. There is a paucity of data on ocular infections caused by A. nidulans. We report a case series of three ophthalmic infections caused by A. nidulans from a tertiary care eye center in North India. Case report: Three cases of ophthalmic infections, including two cases of keratitis and one case of recurrent endophthalmitis caused by A. nidulans were diagnosed at the ocular microbiology section of a tertiary eye care center. One case of keratitis had a history of ophthalmic surgery and underlying diabetes mellitus. The case of recurrent endophthalmitis had undergone cataract surgery in the recent past. Diminution of vision was the most common presenting feature in all three cases. The microbiological diagnosis was made by conventional microscopy and culture techniques. Conclusion: This case series illustrates the potential of uncommon fungal pathogens, such as A. nidulans to cause devastating ocular infections and has an emphasis on the importance of timely microbiological diagnosis in the management of such cases.

Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis due to Cladophialophora bantiana in an immunocompetent individual: A case report and brief review of literature.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Fungal infections of the central nervous system (CNS) are life-threatening conditions that are frequently misdiagnosed with bacterial and viral CNS infections. Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis is a cerebral infection caused by dematiaceous fungi, especially Cladophialophora bantiana. Very few cases of fungal CNS infection have been reported across the world. High clinical suspicion should be cast for the patients with brain abscess that do not respond to conventional antibiotic therapy. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 21-year-old male presenting with headache, seizures and weakness in the limbs. Radiological examination revealed multiple brain abscesses. After surgical excision and laboratory evaluation, it was found to be caused by C. bantiana. The patient's outcome was good with surgical excision and voriconazole therapy. CONCLUSION: Brain abscess caused by C. bantiana is on rise, especially in immunocompromised groups. Thus, high clinical suspicion, accurate diagnosis and management are the fundamentals for good prognosis.