Experimental model of mycotic keratouveitis based on the analysis of fungal keratitis clinical cases

Rationale. Most recommendations for the treatment of fungal keratitis are based on uncontrolled clinical trials or experiments on laboratory models of keratomycosis. The lack of high-quality reproducible models of fungal keratitis and corneal ulcer, as well as the means of quantifying the therapeutic response, makes it difficult to make such recommendations. The proposed method for modeling fungal keratitis is based on the analysis of the etiology of fungal agents in a series of clinical cases of mycotic keratitis, has reliable reproducibility, which will allow it to be used to study the nature of the development of keratomycosis, the course of the pathological process, outcomes, and, most importantly, methods of its treatment. Objective. Develop a reproducible experimental model of fungal infection of the cornea, taking into account the clinically significant fungi. Methods. An experimental study was carried out on rabbits of the "chinchilla” breed, as a result of which a model of fungal infection of the cornea was developed, taking into account the flora that is clinically significant in practice. As a result of modeling, fungal keratouveitis with hypopyon, corneal ulceration was obtained. Microflora control was carried out by cultural, cytological, morphological methods. The material was taken immediately before infection, then during the modeling process. Results. A new method of experimental modeling allows to achieve a picture of fungal keratouveitis with hypopyon, corneal ulcer in 5-6 procedures on the 12th-14th day. Without treatment, starting from the 16th day of the experiment, 40% of the animals developed corneal perforation, which, in our opinion, is comparable to the course of aggressive keratomycosis in patients without adequate and timely treatment.