ABSTRACT
In an effort to characterize, on the molecular scale, the Acanthamoeba initially isolated from the cornea of an amoebic keratitis patient associated with overnight-wear orthokeratology lens in Korea, we conducted mitochondrial DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism, 18S rDNA sequencing, and drug sensitivity analyses on the isolate (KA/PE1). The patient was treated with polyhexamethylene biguanide, chlorhexidine and oral itraconazole, which resulted in resolution of the patient's ocular inflammation. The majority of the molecular characteristics of the KA/PE1 were determined to be identical, or quite similar, to those of A. castellanii Ma strain, which had been isolated also from amoebic keratitis. The risk of Acanthamoeba keratitis as a potential complication of overnight orthokeratology is briefly discussed.