Polymerae chain reaction diagnoi in fungal keratiti caued by Alternaria alternata

PURPOE: To contribute toward aeing the effectivene of polymerae chain reaction a a rapid method in diagnoi of torpid keratiti caued by opportunitic fungi. METHOD: Interventional cae report. A 50-year-old man with a corneal abce in the right eye treated for a period of 6 month with different combination of broad-pectrum antibiotic and teroid wa referred to our center. Corneal craping wa taken for microbiological tudy, including claic culture and polymerae chain reaction. Amplified DNA wa equenced to identify the pathogen. REULT: Polymerae chain reaction amplification wa negative for Acanthamoeba pecie and poitive for fungi. The equence analyi howed Alternaria alternata a the caual agent in 24 hour. Culture confirmed the identification in 10 day. CONCLUION: Polymerae chain reaction amplification with ubequent DNA-typing wa revealed to be a ueful method for detection of ocular pathogen uch a A. alternata involved in cae of torpid keratiti, even in the preence of broad-pectrum antimicrobial therapy.