Colletotrichum asianum: A Novel Phytopathogen Causing Human Infection-A Case Report.

PURPOSE:The purpose of this study was to report the predisposing factors, clinical features, microbiological characteristics, and the management of the novel identified species, Colletotrichum asianum . METHODS:Two patients, farmers by occupation, with a history of trauma with vegetative material, presented to us with redness and pain. The corneal scrapings revealed branched hyphae on potassium hydroxide mount, and woolly aerial fungal mycelia with gray colonies were seen on blood agar and potato dextrose agar. The findings were suggestive of a novel fungal organism C. asianum . RESULTS:Both patients showed a remarkable response to commonly used antifungal agents. A healing response was obtained in 4 weeks. Molecular analysis by sequencing of the internal transcribed region of ribosomal DNA was performed to confirm the species C. asianum in both cases. CONCLUSIONS:To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report describing infective keratitis secondary to C. asianum .