When Rare Fungi Invade the Cornea: Curvularia hawaiiensis Keratomycosis–A Case Report
Keywords:
Keratomycosis; Curvularia hawaiiensis; MALDI-TOF; Dematiaceous fungi.Abstract
Background: Keratomycosis (fungal keratitis) is a significant cause of corneal morbidity, particularly in tropical regions with potential corneal scarring, opacity & blindness. Most of the cases of Keratomycosis are caused by corneal trauma with vegetative matter contaminated with fungal spores in farm workers and other agricultural practices
Case Presentation: A 55-year-old woman presented with irritation, burning, and foreign-body sensation in the right eye for four days. Corneal scrapings showed septate hyphae on KOH mount. Fungal culture yielded a brown-black colony, and LPCB mount indicated Curvularia species. MALDI-TOF MS confirmed Curvularia hawaiiensis. The patient responded well to topical voriconazole, natamycin, and moxifloxacin, achieving full recovery in three weeks.
Conclusion: Early diagnosis and species-level identification are essential to guide therapy in fungal keratitis. This case highlights the emerging role of rare dematiaceous fungi such as C. hawaiiensis..
