BRIEF COMMUNICATION |
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Year : 2011 | Volume
: 59
| Issue : 6 | Page : 512-514 |
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Natamycin in the treatment of keratomycosis: Correlation of treatment outcome and in vitro susceptibility of fungal isolates
Linu Pradhan1, Savitri Sharma1, Suma Nalamada2, Srikant K Sahu1, Sujata Das1, Prashant Garg2
1 L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India 2 L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, A.P., India
Correspondence Address:
Savitri Sharma L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Patia, Bhubaneswar - 751 024, Orissa India
Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0301-4738.86328
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In this study, 60 fungal isolates from 60 patients with fungal keratitis were tested in vitro for their susceptibility to natamycin and the mean minimum inhibitory concentrations of natamycin (MICn) were correlated with clinical outcome. The mean MICn for various groups of fungi from patients with either early (<10 days) or late (≥10 days) presentation was correlated with the outcome. Aspergillus flavus showed resistance to natamycin with a high mean MICn (>16 μg/ml). While the clinical response in all patients with early A. flavus keratitis was good it was poor in late cases (5/8 patients, 62.5%). Fusarium species, Acremonium species and dematiaceous fungi were sensitive with low mean MICn (Fusarium: 5.7-7.2 μg/ml, Acremonium: 5.7-6.8 μg/ml, dematiaceous: (1.6-4 μg/ml). However, 46.6% (7/15) patients in Fusarium and 57.1% (4/7) in Acremonium group needed keratoplasty. We conclude that despite susceptibility of most fungal species causing keratitis to natamycin, the treatment outcome is poor in advanced fungal keratitis. |
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