Original Research Article
Year: 2021 | Month: March | Volume: 8 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 287-296
Etiological Profile and Clinical Outcomes of Bacterial Keratitis from a Tertiary Care Centre in North Kerala
John Britto Augustin1, Suresh Baboo V. K2
1Assistant Surgeon, FHC Aralam, Kannur
2Additional Professor, Dept. of Microbiology, Government Medical College, Kozhikode
Corresponding Author: Suresh Baboo V. K
ABSTRACT
Corneal ulcer is a leading cause of ocular morbidity and monocular blindness worldwide. To effectively prevent blindness in patients with corneal ulcer, a proper understanding of risk factors predisposing to ulceration, its clinical and microbiological characteristics are essential. Timely identification of aetiological agents causing corneal ulcer and their prompt treatment helps to save the vision.
A cross sectional study was conducted in Government Medical College, Kozhikode, between January 2016 to June 2017 to detect bacterial agents of corneal ulcer and determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of those isolates. All patients who were clinically diagnosed as cases of infectious corneal ulcer in the Ophthalmology department, Government Medical College, Kozhikode were included in the study. Corneal scrapings collected from the infected eye were subjected to microbiological examination and culture.
Among the 120 cases, a total of 27 cases were culture positive. 21/120 [17.5%] were bacterial, 6/120 [5.0%] were polymicrobial and 22/120 [18.34%] were fungal. Among bacterial aetiology, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was most common [33.34%] followed by Coagulase negative Staphylococcus-22.23% and Streptococcus pneumoniae-18.51%. Trauma was the major risk factor. Diabetes mellitus, contact lens usage, exposure keratitis were the other comorbidity / risk factors. Out of the total 27 culture positive bacterial corneal ulcer cases none healed completely, 77.78% improved clinically with opacity and 22.22% ended with recurrence/complications.
This study shows majority of infected corneal ulcers are associated with risk factors and the aetiology are mainly due to bacteria. Corneal ulcers responded well to antimicrobials except a few complicated ulcers. Microscopy, culture and clinical correlation helped in adequate management. Thus, prognosis and outcome of corneal ulcers rely on timely identification of their aetiology and prompt treatment.
Keywords: Corneal ulcer, bacterial keratitis.
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