AIM: To analyze the correlation and clinical significance of fungal smear, fungal culture and pathological examination in the diagnosis of fungalkeratitis.

METHODS:One hundred and ten cases(110 eyes)with fungal keratitis from January 2012 to December 2014 were collected. The results of fungal smear, fungal culture and pathological examination results were analyzed retrospectively. Fungal smear was detected by 10% KOH wet microscopy and gram staining microscopy. Fungal culture was used potato dextrose agar(PDA)medium. The specimens of pathological examination were from corneal transplantation surgery. paraffin section, HE and hexamine silver and PAS staining was used in the pathological examination.

RESULTS:Of the 110 cases of fungal keratitis, fungal smear positive were observed in 50 cases(45.5%), fungal culture positive were observed in 55 cases(50.0%); pathological examination positive were observed in 88 cases(80.0%). Fifty cases were both fungal smear and pathological examination positive and 22 cases were both fungal smear and pathological examination negative. The coincidence rate of fungal smear and pathologic examination was 65.5%. Fifty-five cases were both fungal culture and pathological examination positive and 22 cases were both fungal culture and pathological examination negative. The coincidence rate of fungal culture and pathologic examination was 70.0%. In the 60 cases of fungal smear negative results, 38 cases(63.3%)were confirmed positive through pathological examination. In the 55 cases of fungus culture negative results, 33 cases(60.0%)were confirmed positive by pathological examination.

CONCLUSION:The accuracy of pathological examination is the highest. The combined application of fungal smear, fungal culture and pathological examination can improve the diagnostic accuracy of fungal keratitis.