Gemella haemolysans keratitis and consecutive endophthalmitis

PURPOSE: To report a case of Gemella hemolysans keratitis with consecutive endophthalmitis. METHODS: Interventional case report. A 47-year-old woman with a history of sarcoidosis treated chronically with systemic prednisone developed bacterial keratitis and consecutive endophthalmitis in the left eye. RESULTS: Corneal, aqueous, and vitreous cultures yielded G. hemolysans. Emergent keratoplasty, pars plana vitrectomy, and injection of intravitreal antibiotics led to resolution of the infection and improved vision. Five months after surgery, the corneal graft has remained clear since cessation of antibiotics. CONCLUSION: This is the first report, to our knowledge, of ocular G. hemolysans infection, an uncommon gram-positive pathogen often confused with viridans-type streptococci. (Am J Ophthalmol 2002;133:268-269. (C) 2002 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.).