CLOSTRIDIUM-BIFERMENTANS PANOPHTHALMITIS AFTER PENETRATING EYE INJURY

Background: Intraocular and orbital anaerobic infections usually resul t from penetrating eye injuries with soil-contaminated foreign bodies. The outcome of these infections almost always has been loss of the gl obe, despite appropriate antibiotic and surgical treatment. The most p revalent etiologic microbe of anaerobic panophthalmitis is Clostridium perfringens. Case Report: To the authors' knowledge, this is the firs t report of panophthalmitis caused by Clostridium bifermentans after p enetrating eye injury. The patient had severe signs and symptoms of in traocular and orbital infection, with early total loss of visual funct ion. Parenteral and intravitreal therapy with penicillin and clindamyc in, administered according to antibiotic sensitivity studies of cultur es from the anterior chamber and vitreous, did not restore vision. Con clusions: Due to the early devastating outcome, penetrating eye injuri es with soil-contaminated foreign bodies should be regarded as being a t high risk for clostridial infection and should be treated promptly w ith vitrectomy and antibiotic therapy for aerobic and anaerobic infect ion.