RETINAL TOXICITY OF INTRAVITREALLY INJECTED FAERIEFUNGIN

Faeriefungin is a new antibacterial and antifungal agent derived from a strain of Streptomyces griseus var. autotrophicus. Under anesthesia, 12 albino rabbits underwent injection in their right eyes with 400, 2 00, 100, 40, 20, and 10 mug of faeriefungin. Retinal toxicity was asse ssed by electroretinography and light and transmission electron micros copy. Injection of 400 mug resulted in severe retinal toxicity, althou gh indirect ophthalmoscopy was unremarkable. At 200 mug, there was mod erate toxicity. Intravitreal injection of concentrations of 100 mug or less produced no neuroretinal toxicity. These data suggest that faeri efungin is a potentially useful drug in the treatment of fungal or bac terial endophthalmitis.