Ocular Microbiology Current Research Interests

Research Funding

The laboratory has received unrestricted grants from Allergan, Alcon, Bausch & Lomb and Santen to investigate in vitro efficacy of ocular antimicrobial therapeutics.

Research Interests

• investigation of the epidemiology and pathology of ocular infectious diseases.
• emerging antibiotic resistance and treatment outcomes.
• impact of biofilm on the recovery and treatment of ocular infections.
• the use of technology for the rapid detection of ocular pathogens in ocular tissues and fluids.
• collaboration with colleagues and experts in ophthalmology, industry and epidemiology to broaden our knowledge base and improve understanding of the pathogenesis of ocular infectious diseases

Scientific Articles:

• Darlene Miller, DHSc, MPH
• Eduardo C. Alfonso, MD
• William W. Culbertson, MD
• Janet L. Davis, MD
• Kendall E. Donaldson, MD, MS
• Harry W. Flynn, MD
• Richard K. Forster, MD
• Carol L. Karp, MD
• Terrence P. O’Brien, MD
• Jean-Marie Parel, PhD
• Jill Rodila, MD
• David T. Tse, MD
• Sonia H. Yoo, MD

Darlene Miller, 2000-2006

• Rosenberg KD, Flynn HW Jr, Alfonso EC, Miller D.
  Fusarium endophthalmitis following keratitis associated with contact lenses.
  Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging. 2006 Jul-Aug;37(4):310-3.
  PMID: 16898392 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Alfonso EC, Miller D, Cantu-Dibildox J, O’brien TP, Schein OD.
  Fungal keratitis associated with non-therapeutic soft contact lenses.
  Am J Ophthalmol. 2006 Jul;142(1):154-5.
  PMID: 16815266 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Gregori NZ, Schiffman JC, Miller DM, Alfonso EC.
  Clinical trial of povidone-iodine (Betadine) versus placebo in the pretreatment of corneal ulcers.
  Cornea. 2006 Jun;25(5):558-63.
  PMID: 16783144 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Alfonso EC, Cantu-Dibildox J, Munir WM, Miller D, O’Brien TP, Karp CL, Yoo SH, Forster RK, Culbertson WW, Donaldson K, Rodila J, Lee Y.
  Insurgence of Fusarium keratitis associated with contact lens wear.
  Arch Ophthalmol. 2006 Jul;124(7):941-7. Epub 2006 Jun 12.
  PMID: 16769827 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Miller D, Flynn PM, Scott IU, Alfonso EC, Flynn HW Jr.
  In vitro fluoroquinolone resistance in staphylococcal endophthalmitis isolates.
  Arch Ophthalmol. 2006 Apr;124(4):479-83.
  PMID: 16606872 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Mason BL, Alfonso EC, Miller D.
  In-use study of potential bacterial contamination of ophthalmic moxifloxacin.
  J Cataract Refract Surg. 2005 Sep;31(9):1773-6.
  PMID: 16246782 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Smiddy WE, Smiddy RJ, Ba’Arath B, Flynn HW Jr, Murray TG, Feuer WJ, Miller D.
  Subconjunctival antibiotics in the treatment of endophthalmitis managed without vitrectomy.
  Retina. 2005 Sep;25(6):751-8.
  PMID: 16141864 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Miller JJ, Scott IU, Flynn HW Jr, Smiddy WE, Newton J, Miller D.
  Acute-onset endophthalmitis after cataract surgery (2000-2004): incidence, clinical settings, and visual acuity outcomes after treatment.
  Am J Ophthalmol. 2005 Jun;139(6):983-7.
  PMID: 15953426 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Yoder DM, Scott IU, Flynn HW Jr, Miller D.
  Endophthalmitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae.
  Ophthalmology. 2004 Nov;111(11):2023-6.
  PMID: 15522367 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Scott IU, Matharoo N, Flynn HW Jr, Miller D.
  Endophthalmitis caused by Klebsiella species.
  Am J Ophthalmol. 2004 Oct;138(4):662-3.
  PMID: 15488803 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Miller JJ, Scott IU, Flynn HW Jr, Smiddy WE, Corey RP, Miller D.
  Endophthalmitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.
  Am J Ophthalmol. 2004 Aug;138(2):231-6.
  PMID: 15289132 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Marangon FB, Miller D, Giaconi JA, Alfonso EC.
  In vitro investigation of voriconazole susceptibility for keratitis and
  endophthalmitis fungal pathogens.
  Am J Ophthalmol. 2004 May;137(5):820-5.
  PMID: 15126145 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Miller D, Alfonso EC.
  Comparative in vitro activity of levofloxacin, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin
  against ocular streptococcal isolates.
  Cornea. 2004 Apr;23(3):289-93.
  PMID: 15084863 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Marangon FB, Alfonso EC, Miller D, Remonda NM, Muallem MS, Tseng SC.
  Incidence of microbial infection after amniotic membrane transplantation.
  Cornea. 2004 Apr;23(3):264-9.
  PMID: 15084859 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Marangon FB, Miller D, Alfonso EC.
  Impact of prior therapy on the recovery and frequency of corneal pathogens.
  Cornea. 2004 Mar;23(2):158-64.
  PMID: 15075885 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Schiedler V, Scott IU, Flynn HW Jr, Davis JL, Benz MS, Miller D.
  Culture-proven endogenous endophthalmitis: clinical features and visual acuity outcomes.
  Am J Ophthalmol. 2004 Apr;137(4):725-31.
  PMID: 15059712 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Scott IU, Cruz-Villegas V, Flynn HW Jr, Miller D.
  Delayed-onset, bleb-associated endophthalmitis caused by Lecythophora mutabilis.
  Am J Ophthalmol. 2004 Mar;137(3):583-5.
  PMID: 15013895 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Benz MS, Scott IU, Flynn HW Jr, Unonius N, Miller D.
  Endophthalmitis isolates and antibiotic sensitivities: a 6-year review of culture-proven cases.
  Am J Ophthalmol. 2004 Jan;137(1):38-42.
  PMID: 14700642 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Muallem MS, Alfonso EC, Romano AC, Miller D, Kurstin J, Marangon FB, Culbertson WW, Yoo SH.
  Bilateral Candida parapsilosis interface keratitis after laser in situ keratomileusis.
  J Cataract Refract Surg. 2003 Oct;29(10):2022-5.

• Eifrig CW, Scott IU, Flynn HW Jr, Miller D.
  Endophthalmitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  Ophthalmology. 2003 Sep;110(9):1714-7.
  PMID: 13129867 []

• Scott IU, Loo RH, Flynn HW Jr, Miller D.
  Endophthalmitis caused by enterococcus faecalis: antibiotic selection and treatment outcomes.
  Ophthalmology. 2003 Aug;110(8):1573-7.
  PMID: 12917175 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Lieb DF, Scott IU, Flynn HW Jr, Miller D, Feuer WJ.
  Open globe injuries with positive intraocular cultures: factors influencing final
  visual acuity outcomes.
  Ophthalmology. 2003 Aug;110(8):1560-6.
  PMID: 12917173 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Lieb DF, Smiddy WE, Miller D, Cooperman EW.
  Case report: Fungal endophthalmitis caused by Phialophora richardsiae.
  Retina. 2003 Jun;23(3):406-7. No abstract available.
  PMID: 12824846 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Dursun D, Fernandez V, Miller D, Alfonso EC.
  Advanced fusarium keratitis progressing to endophthalmitis.
  Cornea. 2003 May;22(4):300-3.
  PMID: 12792470 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Scott IU, Lieb DF, Flynn HW Jr, Dessouki A, Murray TG, Miller D.
  Endophthalmitis caused by Mycobacterium chelonae: selection of antibiotics and outcomes of treatment.
  Arch Ophthalmol. 2003 Apr;121(4):573-6. No abstract available.
  PMID: 12695258 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Fernandez V, Dursun D, Miller D, Alfonso EC.
  Colletotrichum keratitis.
  Am J Ophthalmol. 2002 Sep;134(3):435-8.
  PMID: 12208257 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Berrocal AM, Scott IU, Miller D, Flynn HW Jr.
  Endophthalmitis caused by Moraxella osloensis.
  Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2002 Apr;240(4):329-30. Epub 2002 Mar 5.
  PMID: 11981649 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Yoo SH, Dursun D, Dubovy S, Miller D, Alfonso E, Forster RK, Behar-Cohen F, Parel JM.
  Lontophoresis for the treatment of paecilomyces keratitis.
  Cornea. 2002 Jan;21(1):131-2. No abstract available.
  PMID: 11805526 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Solomon A, Karp CL, Miller D, Dubovy SR, Huang AJ, Culbertson WW.
  Mycobacterium interface keratitis after laser in situ keratomileusis.
  Ophthalmology. 2001 Dec;108(12):2201-8.
  PMID: 11733259 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Berrocal AM, Scott IU, Miller D, Flynn HW Jr.
  Endophthalmitis caused by Moraxella species.
  Am J Ophthalmol. 2001 Nov;132(5):788-90.
  PMID: 11704047 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Luu KK, Scott IU, Miller D, Davis JL.
  Endogenous Pseudallescheria boydii endophthalmitis in a patient with ring-enhancing brain lesions.
  Ophthalmic Surg Lasers. 2001 Jul-Aug;32(4):325-9. Review.
  PMID: 11475400 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Scott IU, Flynn HW Jr, Miller D, Speights JW, Snip RC, Brod RD.
  Exogenous endophthalmitis caused by amphotericin B-resistant Paecilomyces lilacinus: treatment options and visual outcomes.
  Arch Ophthalmol. 2001 Jun;119(6):916-9. No abstract available.
  PMID: 11405851 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Song A, McCulley TJ, Lam BL, Feuer WJ, Miller D, Alfonso EC.
  Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro corneal isolate sensitivity to ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and trovafloxacin: a comparative study.
  Am J Ophthalmol. 2001 Jun;131(6):795-6.
  PMID: 11384579 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Miller D, Davis J, Rosa R, Diaz M, Perez E.
  Utility of tissue culture for detection of Toxoplasma gondii in vitreous humor of patients diagnosed with toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis.
  J Clin Microbiol. 2000 Oct;38(10):3840-2.
  PMID: 11015415 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Alexandrakis G, Palma LA, Miller D, Alfonso EC.
  Capnocytophaga keratitis.
  Ophthalmology. 2000 Aug;107(8):1503-6.
  PMID: 10919898 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Alexandrakis G, Alfonso EC, Miller D.
  Shifting trends in bacterial keratitis in south Florida and emerging resistance to fluoroquinolones.
  Ophthalmology. 2000 Aug;107(8):1497-502.
  PMID: 10919897 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Alexandrakis G, Haimovici R, Miller D, Alfonso EC.
  Corneal biopsy in the management of progressive microbial keratitis.
  Am J Ophthalmol. 2000 May;129(5):571-6.
  PMID: 10844046 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Gonzales CA, Scott IU, Chaudhry NA, Luu KM, Miller D, Murray TG, Davis JL.
  Endogenous endophthalmitis caused by Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum: a case report and literature review.
  Ophthalmology. 2000 Apr;107(4):725-9. Review.
  PMID: 10768335 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Chaudhry NA, Flynn HW Jr, Smiddy WE, Miller D.
  Xanthomonas maltophilia endophthalmitis after cataract surgery.
  Arch Ophthalmol. 2000 Apr;118(4):572-5. No abstract available.
  PMID: 10766146 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

• Chodosh J, Miller D, Tu EY, Culbertson WW.
  Tobramycin-responsive Fusarium oxysporum keratitis.
  Can J Ophthalmol. 2000 Feb;35(1):29-30. No abstract available.
  PMID: 10711382 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]