Iranian Journal of Parasitology (Sep 2013)

First Report of Hartmannella keratitis in a Cosmetic Soft Contact Lens Wearer in Iran

  • Hoda Abedkhojasteh,
  • Maryam Niyyati,
  • Firoozeh Rahimi,
  • Mansour Heidari,
  • Shohreh Farnia,
  • Mostafa Rezaeian

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 3
pp. 481 – 485

Abstract

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Background: Poor hygiene will provide good condition for corneal infections by opportunistic free-living amoebae (FLA) in soft contact lens wearers. In the present study an amoebic keratitis due to Hartmannella has been recognized in a 22-year-old girl with a history of improper soft contact lens use. She had unilateral keratitis on her left eye. Her clinical signs were eye pain, redness, blurred vision and photopho­bia. The round cysts of free-living amoebae were identified in non-nutrient agar medium by light microscopy. These cysts were suspected to be Hartmannella using morphological criteria. A PCR assay has been confirmed that the round cysts were belonged to H. vermiformis.

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