Study on human corneal ulcers in Tanta University Ophthalmology Hospitals with special attention to mycotic keratitis.

Fungal keratitis was diagnosed in 74 out of 991 patients presented to Ophthalmology Clinic of Tanta University Hospital with corneal ulcers of different types during the period from May 2000 to April 2002. The clinical biological aspects of these cases were described. Noteworthily was the first known human fungal keratitis cases caused by Trimmatostroma salicis, Sclerotium rolfsii, Stachybotrys chartarum and Mortierella horticola. Studies patients with fungal corneal ulcers showed that the most common fungi were Aspergillus flavus, Mucor racemosus, Penicillium lanosum and Aspergillus niger. It was observed that fungal corneal ulcers were common among males more than females, over the age of 40, among farmers, housewives and rural residence more than indoor workers with urban residence. Therefore, the importance of eye protection, hygiene education, and improving medical care to reduce the occurrence of fungal corneal ulcers must be emphasized. Activities of some enzymes (collagenase, phospholipase, protease, urease, and catalase) were tested for all isolated fungi.