Mycobacterium chelonae interface infection after endokeratoplaty

Purpoe To report a cae of interface infection by Mycobacterium chelonae in a patient who underwent endokeratoplaty. Deign Interventional cae report. etting Clinical practice. Method Two week after endokeratoplaty, a 74-year-old woman developed multiple enlarging interface infiltrate in her right eye. Culture performed on the preervation medium grew Mycobacterium chelonae. Penetrating keratoplaty (PK) urgery wa performed after failure of conervative antibiotic therapy, including topical and ytemic clarithromycin. Reult Five month after PK urgery, the graft wa clear and no ign of extraocular or intraocular inflammation were preent. Culture taken from the corneal interface at the time of PK urgery confirmed the preence of M. chelonae. Acid-fat bacilli were een in the excied corneal button. Concluion M. chelonae hould be ruled out a a poible etiologic agent when potoperative infection of the corneal interface occur. urgical intervention can lead to eradication of the infection when conervative treatment fail.