RT Journal Article
T1 Fungal Keratitis in Northwestern Spain: Epidemiology, Risk Factors and Outcomes
A1 Lamas-Francis, David
A1 Navarro, Daniel
A1 Mansilla, Raquel
A1 Rojas, Victoria de
A1 Moreno, Claudio
A1 Dios, Enrique
A1 Rigueiro, Jesús
A1 Álvarez, Dolores
A1 Crego, Paloma
A1 Touriño Peralba, Rosario
A1 Rodríguez Ares, María Teresa
K1 Cornea
K1 Fungi
K1 Keratitis
AB Purpose: To review the clinical features, risk factors, microbiological profile, and treatment regimens of fungal keratitis in Galicia, a region in Northwestern Spain with temperate humid weather.Patients and methods: A retrospective case series was employed, including patients with fungal keratitis from nine hospitals within the region of Galicia, Spain, between 2010 and 2020. Data obtained from clinical records were analysed.Results: Out of 654 cases of infectious keratitis, 77 cases (9.9%) were identified as fungal keratitis. The median age of affected patients was 68.0 years, with a higher incidence in rural areas (62.3%). Candida spp. infections were the most frequent type (55.8%) and were associated with a higher median age than were the non-dermatophyte mould infections. The primary risk factors included steroid eyedrop use (29.9%), recent keratoplasty (18.2%), ocular trauma (19.5%), and contact with vegetable matter (11.7%). Most ulcers displayed stromal involvement, and 37.7% presented corneal thinning. The median duration of infection was longer in fungal than in bacterial keratitis, and surgical intervention was required in 48.1% of cases.Conclusions: Fungal keratitis, mainly involving Candida spp., accounted for 9.9% of microbial keratitis cases in Galicia, Spain, with significant risk factors being topical steroid use, ocular trauma, and contact with vegetable matter. Delayed diagnosis often resulted in poor outcomes, highlighting the need for early detection through awareness and new technologies to improve prognosis.
PB MDPI
YR 2024
FD 2024
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10347/45066
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10347/45066
LA eng
NO Lamas-Francis D, Navarro D, Mansilla R, de-Rojas V, Moreno C, Dios E, Rigueiro J, Álvarez D, Crego P, Rodríguez-Ares T, Touriño R. Fungal Keratitis in Northwestern Spain: Epidemiology, Risk Factors and Outcomes. J Fungi (Basel). 2024 Oct 1;10(10):689. doi: 10.3390/jof10100689
NO Los autores declaran no haber recibido fondos, subvenciones ni ningún otro tipo de apoyo durante la preparación de este manuscrito.
DS Minerva
RD 28 abr 2026