Etiological analysis on the ocular fungal infection.

OBJECTIVE

To review the distribution and shifting trends of fungal culture specimens in Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology.

METHODS

Retrospective analyses of the fungal culture positive rate, the distribution and change of isolates were performed on 2 609 specimens during a 12-year period (1989 - 2000).

RESULTS

The number of positive cultures was 775 (707 from the cornea, 91.23%; 22 from the conjunctiva, 2.84%; 15 from anterior chamber, 1.94%; 9 from the vitreous body, 1.16%; 3 from lacrimal sac, 0.39% and 19 from other parts of eye, 2.45%). The average culture-positive rate was 29.70%. The average ratio of the positive cultures between the first half (from January to June) and the second half (from July to December) of the years was 1:2.1. The main genus cultured was Fusarium (58.71%), next was Aspergillus (16.8%). The percentage of Fusarium was increased (53.63% from 1989 through 1994 to 60.23% from 1995 through 2000), and the percentage Aspergillus was decreased (22.35% from 1989 through 1994 to 15.10% from 1995 through 2000).

CONCLUSIONS

The Fusaruim is the predominant pathogens of ocular fungal infection in the northern part of China, its frequency was increased during this 12-year period, and meanwhile the frequency of the Aspergillus was decreased. It is very important to comprehend the distribution and shifting trends of pathogenic fungi continuously for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of fungal infectious ocular disease.