Fig. 2. Retinal function retained in eyes infected with cytolytic (red) and noncytolytic (blue) Enterococcus faecalis. Endophthalmitis caused by cytolytic E. faecalis was refractory to treatment with ampicillin (Amp), gentamicin (Gn), and dexamethasone (Dx), as indicated by the precipitous decline in retinal function by 72 hours. Noncytolytic E. faecalis was readily treated with Amp/Gn/Dx. Retinal function in these eyes was retained to preoperative levels at 72 hours. (Data compiled from Jett BD, Jensen JG, Atkuri RV et al. Evaluation of therapeutic measures for treating endophthalmitis caused by isogenic toxin-producing and toxin-nonproducing Enterococcus faecalis strains. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1995;36:9) |