Case Study: May 2015

History

A 10 year old male gives a history of a wooden foreign body flying into his eye.

On examination, the lateral bulbar conjunctiva is injected and a cream coloured ovoid mass is noted.

This is removed. The figure shows a H&E stained image of the pathology.

Questions

1. What type of inflammation is observed in the background?

2. What is the arrow pointing to?

3. Which special stains can be used on this case?

4. Whst is the diagnosis?

5. What is the significance of the colour of the pathological process seen in Fig 1?

Click to show answers

1. Granulomatous with giant cells.

2. Brown fungi.

3. Masson Fontana

4. Phaeohyphomycosis of the conjunctiva from inplantation by the foreign body.

5. The Masson Fontana will demonstrate the presence of melanin pigment. Melanin pigment is a virulence factor by acting as an anti-oxidant.