{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T14:14:57Z","timestamp":1785420897323,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":21,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,16]],"date-time":"2026-05-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1778889600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia","award":["451-03-137\/2025-03\/200113"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["451-03-137\/2025-03\/200113"]}]},{"award":["451-03-137\/2025-03\/200113"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["451-03-137\/2025-03\/200113"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01znas443","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JoF"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Exophiala endophthalmitis of exogenous origin is an exceptionally rare but severe ocular infection, characterized by diagnostic delays, limited therapeutic guidance, and frequently poor outcomes. Herein, we report one new case of an 80-year-old woman who presented with severe fungal keratitis progressing to endophthalmitis two years after an uncomplicated cataract surgery. The condition was initially misdiagnosed and treated with topical antibiotics and corticosteroids. By cultivation, microscopy, histopathological, and PCR analysis of the samples, Exophiala dermatitidis was identified as the causative agent. Despite targeted antifungal therapy with voriconazole, the disease rapidly progressed, resulting in corneal perforation and evisceration of the affected eye. The number of confirmed cases of this infection remains very limited. To address this gap, we conducted a structured review of all reported instances of exogenous Exophiala endophthalmitis, in which Exophiala dermatitidis emerged as the predominant causative species. Common predisposing factors included corneal barrier disruption, ocular surgery, diabetes mellitus, and corticosteroid use. Diagnostic confirmation was frequently delayed, and treatment outcomes varied. Amphotericin B-based regimens were associated with poor results, whereas voriconazole, particularly when combined with surgical intervention, demonstrated more favorable outcomes. Exogenous Exophiala endophthalmitis remains underrecognized, with limited evidence to guide management. This entity should be considered in postoperative or trauma-associated intraocular inflammation, and current evidence supports azole-based therapy combined with surgical intervention when indicated.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jof12050368","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,18]],"date-time":"2026-05-18T12:36:40Z","timestamp":1779107800000},"page":"368","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Exophiala dermatitidis Eye Infection: Case Report and Literature Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3377-9247","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Suzana","family":"Ota\u0161evi\u0107","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"},{"name":"Public Health Institute Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7014-8110","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marija","family":"Trenki\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"},{"name":"Ophthalmology Clinic, University Clinical Center Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5733-5499","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marko","family":"Stalevi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pristina in Kosovska Mitrovica, 38000 Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9945-0332","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marina","family":"Ran\u0111elovi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"},{"name":"Public Health Institute Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5058-9720","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Slavica","family":"Stojnev","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"},{"name":"Center for Pathology, University Clinical Center Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Milica","family":"\u0110or\u0111evi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"},{"name":"Public Health Institute Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jana Pe\u0161i\u0107","family":"Stankovi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"},{"name":"Public Health Institute Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Goran","family":"Kora\u0107evi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine and Patient Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ni\u0161, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2386-8542","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roberta","family":"Iatta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"597","DOI":"10.1128\/CMR.00113-16","article-title":"Bacterial and fungal endophthalmitis","volume":"30","author":"Durand","year":"2017","journal-title":"Clin. 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