Histopathology of experimental Aspergillus fumigatus keratitis.

Histopathological studies in rabbit's eyes, 7 and 14 days after intracorneal inoculation with 1 X 10(5) Aspergillus fumigatus conidia have been performed. Similar lesions were found in both periods with fungal hyphae in the anterior third of corneal stroma, round cell infiltration from the sclero-corneal edge and in the anterior chamber and, neovascularization. No lesions were found in the Descemet's membrane. Gomori silver-methenamine stain with hematoxiline-eosine counter-stain was found to be the most reliable stain to detect fungal presence in corneal stroma, and Masson's trichromic stain in the study of pathological changes in ocular elements.