ABSTRACT
Kaliamurthy et al. [17] described a fungal keratitis due to Cylindrocarpon (Fusarium) lichenicola in a farmer, who presented with pain, redness, and irritation of the left eye following ocular injury caused by hay 5 days earlier. Slit-lamp examination of the affected eye showed a corneal ulcer (6 × 5 mm) with irregular margins, raised, with necrotic slough and in–ltration. The lens was cataractous and visual acuity was restricted to “hand movements” only. Scrapings from the base and edges of the corneal ulcer contained septate fungal hyphae as examined by microscopy after staining with lactophenol cotton blue and Gram stain. Histopathological examination of the infected corneal button removed at therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty (TPK) also showed septate fungal hyphae. Scrapings and corneal button are inoculated onto Sabouraud glucose-neopeptone agar, and sheep blood agar grew cottony, white-red fungal colonies within 48 h, with brown pigmentation on reverse. The fungus was identi–ed as Cylindrocarpon lichenicola since it displayed branched, septate, hyaline hyphae; phialides on simple or sparsely branched conidiophores; cylindrical to fusiform, smooth-walled macroconidia, each with three to six septa, a blunt rounded apex, and distinctly truncate base; and smooth-walled chlamydoconidia on short branches.
