A decade of ocular fungal infections due to Penicillium -like fungi in France (2012 to 2021)

Penicillium, Talaromyces, and Purpureocillium species (so called Penicillium-like) are increasingly recognised as opportunistic fungal pathogens capable of causing a wide range of infections, from superficial to invasive. Although ocular infections caused by these environmental fungi have been reported in the literature, they remain relatively underrecognised. We conducted a multicentric retrospective study of Penicillium-like ocular cases reported in the RESSIF database of the French National Reference Center for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals between 2012 to 2021. Among 55 cases of Penicillium-like invasive infections reported to the RESSIF network in France, a total of 24 cases (44%) were identified, which predominantly presented as keratitis (n = 22, 92%). Predisposing factors were as follows: contact lens wear (n = 11, 46%), topical corticosteroid use (n = 9, 37.5%), ocular trauma (n = 5, 21%), pre-existing corneal disease (n = 4, 17%), and previous ocular surgery (n = 2, 8%). Purpureocillium lilacinum was the predominant pathogen (n = 19, 79%), followed by four Penicillium species and one Talaromyces species. Direct examination of ocular samples was positive in 13 cases (54%). Antifungal susceptibility testing (EUCAST) revealed that all species exhibited high minimal inhibitory concentrations to amphotericin B (>1 mg/L). Most patients were treated with a combination of topical voriconazole and amphotericin B (n = 15, 62.5%), which was administered alongside oral voriconazole in nine cases (37.5%). Surgical intervention was required in six cases (25%) and included keratoplasty (n = 4) and enucleation (n = 2). This study provides a valuable overview of Penicillium-like fungal ocular infections and highlights the importance of systematically surveilling filamentous fungal keratitis.