Ulcerative fungal keratitis in a Brown Swiss cow

Abstract

An 11-year-old Swiss Brown cow was referred to the Food Animal Department of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland due to lateral recumbency of unknown origin. The animal had developed enophthalmos due to dehydration at the time of presentation. Two days after hospitalization, the cow showed blepharospasm and epiphora of the right eye and the Ophthalmology Service was consulted. Ophthalmic examination of the right eye revealed a fluorescein positive, paraxial, corneal superficial ulcer with focal edema and mild superficial neovascularization. Corneal, white, stromal infiltrates were seen at the edges of the ulcer bed. After initial treatment with topical antibiotics, an increase of corneal infiltrates was noted on re-examination 2 days later. Several punctate, fluorescein negative, stromal, white opacities were seen dorsal of the ulcer. Cytology showed fungal hyphae. Topical treatment with 2 % miconazole ointment, antibiotics and K-EDTA resolved the clinical symptoms within 6 days. Fungal culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified the fungal organism as Eurotium amstelodami.