Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ulcerative keratitis from Actinomyces bowdenii in a dog
By Sherman, Amanda et al.·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2013·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Actinomyces bowdenii ulcerative keratitis in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old spayed female mixed-breed dog with diabetes developed a serious eye infection called ulcerative keratitis after surgery to remove cataracts. Despite treatment with a common antibiotic eye drop, the infection persisted and worsened, leading to symptoms like redness, swelling, and squinting. Tests revealed a rare type of bacteria, Actinomyces bowdenii, which was resistant to the antibiotic used. The infection was finally treated successfully with a surgical procedure that involved removing part of the cornea and using tissue from the conjunctiva to help heal the eye.
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Abstract
A 5-year-old spayed female diabetic mixed-breed dog underwent phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation to correct bilateral hypermature cataracts. Two months postsurgery, the patient presented with ulcerative keratitis and multifocal stromal abscessation OD, which was controlled, but never resolved, with topical fluoroquinolone therapy. The patient re-presented 2 months later with a new, raised, white gritty corneal opacity associated with hyperemia, chemosis, and blepharospasm OD. Cytology of the right cornea revealed filamentous bacteria, suggestive of Actinomyces spp. Actinomyces bowdenii was subsequently isolated in pure culture and identified via 16s rDNA sequencing. Actinomyces bowdenii has never before been described as a cause of ocular infection. An immunosuppressed corneal environment likely contributed to this opportunistic Actinomycosis. The infection was not controlled with fluoroquinolone therapy, and the isolate, in vitro, was resistant to three fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and levofloxacin), which also has not been previously reported for this species of Actinomyces. A superficial keratectomy with conjunctival graft was employed to successfully manage the infection.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23121462/