Ulcerative fungal keratitis

Miconazole in combination with antibiotics shows success

Zurich – mechentel news – A therapy with miconazole ointment in additional administration of antibiotic led to a decreas in symptoms of fungal infection, so Dr. med. Vet. K. Voelter-Ratson et al. of the Ophthalmic Division of the Vetsuisse Facutly Zurich. An 11-year-old Brown Swiss cow was referred to the Farm Animal Department of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland, because of lateral recumbency due to puerperal hemolytic anemia. The animal had developed enophthalmos due to dehydration at the time of presentation. Two days after hospitalization, the cow showed blepharospasm and epiphora of the right eye. Ophthalmic examination of the right eye revealed a fluorescein-positive, paraxial, superficial corneal ulcer with focal edema, and mild superficial neovascularization. White corneal stromal infiltrates were seen at the edges of the ulcer bed. After initial topical treatment with an antibiotic ointment (Neomycin 3.5 mg/g, Bacitracin 250 IU/g) three times a day, an increase in corneal infiltrates was noted on re-examination 2 days later. Several fluorescein-negative, punctate, stromal, white opacities were seen dorsal to the ulcer. Cytology demonstrated the presence of fungal hyphae. The result of this study was published in the February 2013 issue of the journal Veterinary Ophthalmology. Topical treatment with 2% miconazole ointment and 0.36% K-EDTA eye drops six times daily and four times daily, respectively, from the second day and continued antibiotics three times daily resolved the clinical symptoms within 6 days. Fungal culture identified the fungal organism as Eurotium amstelodami.

Authors: Voelter-Ratson K, Monod M, Braun U, Spiess BM. Correspondence: Equine Department, Section
of Ophthalmology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
Studie: Ulcerative fungal keratitis in a Brown Swiss cow. Source: Vet Ophthalmol. 2013 Feb 26.
doi: 10.1111/vop.12037. Web: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/vop.12037/abstract;jsessio
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