CXL can be used to treat infectious fungal keratitis

Corneal cross-linking (CXL) is effective in reducing the severity of infectious keratitis caused by Fusarium solani, according to a study in the Journal of Cornea and External Disease.

Dr Gustavo Galperin, Laboratorio de Investigaciones Oculares, Buenos Aires, Argentina, led an investigation on 24 rabbits innoculated with Fusarium solani in the stromata of the right cornea.

All rabbits were divided into two groups. Group 1 was treated with CXL 72 hours after inoculation and group 2, acting as control, received no treatment. In both groups all eyes were assessed preoperatively on days 0 and 3, and postoperatively on day 7. Eyes were enucleated and the corneal buttons were microbiologically and histologically examined.

Clinical scores were statistically significant between the two groups after CXL, with group 1 demonstrating a significantly lower clinical score. Group 1 had 22.45 ± 5.09 CFU/g compared with 42.5 ± 3.12 CFU/g in group 2.

Similar amounts of Fusarium hyphae and inflammatory cells were found in 3 corneal buttons from group 2. In 2 of the 3 buttons obtained from group 1 there were fewer Fusarium hyphae, inflammatory cells, and nonspecific stromal changes than in group 2.

The study results suggest that CXL could be helpful as a coadjuvant for the treatment of resistant fungal infections.