Harrison D. Marsh BS, MBA, Addie Pederson BA, Coby N. Ray MD, MBA, Kenn A. Freedman, MD, PhD
Canaliculitis is not considered to be a common condition and can be frequently misdiagnosed. The condition can also be challenging to eradicate. Canaliculitis accounts for 2–4% of lacrimal disease and is most often associated with Actinomyces israelii, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus. However, cases can occasionally be caused by uncharacteristic bacteria. We herein report three unique cases of canaliculitis that each required probing and irrigation of the infected lacrimal duct to culture bacteria following resistance to initial antibacterial treatment. Each case resulted in a different microbe; the cultures of the expelled purulent material grew Eikenella corrodens, Parvimonas micra, and Corynebacterium jeikeium respectively. All three cases occurred in rural West Texas women with ages of 68, 70, and 40 years-old. These cases highlight the importance of recognizing the possible involvement of uncharacteristic bacteria for the proper management of canaliculitis and using appropriate lacrimal procedures when empiric therapy is ineffective.
Keywords: Canaliculitis, Lacrimal gland, Antibiotic resistance, Lacrimal procedures
Article citation: Marsh HD, Pederson A, Ray CN, Freedman KA. Cases with uncharacteristic bacteria in canaliculitis. The Southwest Respiratory and Critical Care Chronicles 2023;11(46):34–38
From: Department of Ophthalmology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas
Submitted: 10/26/2023
Accepted: 1/3/2023
Conflicts of interest: none
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