Keratitis due to Aspergillus flavus: clinical profile, molecular identification of fungal strains and detection of aflatoxin production.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To document the clinical profile of patients with keratitis due to Aspergillus flavus and to elaborate on differences in the aflatoxin-producing potential of keratitis strains versus environmental strains of A. flavus.

Methods

Over a 6-month period, strains of Aspergillus flavus were isolated in culture from corneal scrape or biopsy material of patients who presented with suppurative keratitis (clinical isolates). The strains were confirmed to be A. flavus by molecular methods (amplification of the internal transcribed spacer 2 [ITS 2] region and direct sequencing followed by comparative GenBank analysis). The aflatoxin-producing potential of each strain was determined by thin-layer chromatography. The ability of each strain to form sclerotia in Czapek-Dox agar (CDA)

SUBMITTER: Leema G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2866576 | biostudies-literature | 2010 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature