Clinical Profile and Outcomes of Central Microbial Keratitis in the Philippines
Objective: Despite being a preventable and treatable condition, central microbial keratitis (CMK) and its complications remain to be a significant cause of vision loss in our country. This study presents the demographic profile, risk factors, etiologies, treatments, and outcomes of CMK in the Philip...
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Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Philippine Journal of Ophthalmology |
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| Online Access: | https://paojournal.com/index.php/pjo/article/view/536 |
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| author | Ma. Dominga B. Padilla, MD Ruben Lim Bon Siong, MD George Michael N. Sosuan, MD |
| author_facet | Ma. Dominga B. Padilla, MD Ruben Lim Bon Siong, MD George Michael N. Sosuan, MD |
| author_sort | Ma. Dominga B. Padilla, MD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: Despite being a preventable and treatable condition, central microbial keratitis (CMK) and its complications remain to be a significant cause of vision loss in our country. This study presents the demographic profile, risk factors, etiologies, treatments, and outcomes of CMK in the Philippines.
Methods: The study was a two-center, prospective, non-randomized clinical study involving the patients of the External Disease and Cornea Clinics of two tertiary eye referral centers in the Philippines. It was conducted as the Philippine leg of the Asia Cornea Society Infectious Keratitis Study (ASCIKS).1 Patients with a clinical diagnosis of CMK rendered by a cornea specialist, and who signed the consent form, were recruited into the study. They underwent uniform sample collection and culture techniques as described in the ACSIKS. All patients were followed-up for 6 months. Data collected included demographics, risk factors, culture results, management, and treatment outcomes. Descriptive statistics and frequency were used to analyze the data.
Results: A total of 348 patients diagnosed with CMK were included. Trauma (65.5%) among the middle-aged (42.9 ± 17.9 years) male population was the most significant risk factor for development of CMK, followed by contact lens wear (12.9%), prior ocular surgery (6.0%), and ocular surface diseases (3.4%). Bacterial keratitis (53.2%) was still the most common etiology of CMK, followed by fungal keratitis (27.0%), Acanthamoeba keratitis (5.7%), and viral keratitis (2.0%). Aspergillus species (18.3%) were the most common microbial isolates. Pseudomonas species (13.9%) were the most common bacterial isolates. The median time from onset of symptoms to consultation with the study centers was 2 weeks. Medical treatment was enough to treat the infection in 34.8% of cases. Surgical intervention was necessitated in 22.6% with evisceration/enucleation done in 1 out of 3 patients who had surgery.
Conclusion: Bacterial infection remains the most common cause of CMK in the Philippines, followed by fungal infection. Significant risk factors include trauma and contact lens wear. Aspergillus species and Pseudomonas species were the most common fungal and bacterial isolates, respectively. Despite medical treatment, almost a quarter of the cases still required surgical intervention |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5b691c37f7d54173b2fae4bee30fda3f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0031-7659 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Philippine Journal of Ophthalmology |
| spelling | doaj-art-5b691c37f7d54173b2fae4bee30fda3f2025-08-20T02:37:14ZengPhilippine Academy of OphthalmologyPhilippine Journal of Ophthalmology0031-76592025-06-015012632536Clinical Profile and Outcomes of Central Microbial Keratitis in the PhilippinesMa. Dominga B. Padilla, MD0Ruben Lim Bon Siong, MD1George Michael N. Sosuan, MD2Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines; Tan Eng Gee Eye Institute, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Taguig City, PhilippinesDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines; Eye Institute, St. Luke’s Medical Center., Quezon City, PhilippinesDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, PhilippinesObjective: Despite being a preventable and treatable condition, central microbial keratitis (CMK) and its complications remain to be a significant cause of vision loss in our country. This study presents the demographic profile, risk factors, etiologies, treatments, and outcomes of CMK in the Philippines. Methods: The study was a two-center, prospective, non-randomized clinical study involving the patients of the External Disease and Cornea Clinics of two tertiary eye referral centers in the Philippines. It was conducted as the Philippine leg of the Asia Cornea Society Infectious Keratitis Study (ASCIKS).1 Patients with a clinical diagnosis of CMK rendered by a cornea specialist, and who signed the consent form, were recruited into the study. They underwent uniform sample collection and culture techniques as described in the ACSIKS. All patients were followed-up for 6 months. Data collected included demographics, risk factors, culture results, management, and treatment outcomes. Descriptive statistics and frequency were used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 348 patients diagnosed with CMK were included. Trauma (65.5%) among the middle-aged (42.9 ± 17.9 years) male population was the most significant risk factor for development of CMK, followed by contact lens wear (12.9%), prior ocular surgery (6.0%), and ocular surface diseases (3.4%). Bacterial keratitis (53.2%) was still the most common etiology of CMK, followed by fungal keratitis (27.0%), Acanthamoeba keratitis (5.7%), and viral keratitis (2.0%). Aspergillus species (18.3%) were the most common microbial isolates. Pseudomonas species (13.9%) were the most common bacterial isolates. The median time from onset of symptoms to consultation with the study centers was 2 weeks. Medical treatment was enough to treat the infection in 34.8% of cases. Surgical intervention was necessitated in 22.6% with evisceration/enucleation done in 1 out of 3 patients who had surgery. Conclusion: Bacterial infection remains the most common cause of CMK in the Philippines, followed by fungal infection. Significant risk factors include trauma and contact lens wear. Aspergillus species and Pseudomonas species were the most common fungal and bacterial isolates, respectively. Despite medical treatment, almost a quarter of the cases still required surgical interventionhttps://paojournal.com/index.php/pjo/article/view/536central microbial keratitisprofileoutcomesphilippines |
| spellingShingle | Ma. Dominga B. Padilla, MD Ruben Lim Bon Siong, MD George Michael N. Sosuan, MD Clinical Profile and Outcomes of Central Microbial Keratitis in the Philippines Philippine Journal of Ophthalmology central microbial keratitis profile outcomes philippines |
| title | Clinical Profile and Outcomes of Central Microbial Keratitis in the Philippines |
| title_full | Clinical Profile and Outcomes of Central Microbial Keratitis in the Philippines |
| title_fullStr | Clinical Profile and Outcomes of Central Microbial Keratitis in the Philippines |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clinical Profile and Outcomes of Central Microbial Keratitis in the Philippines |
| title_short | Clinical Profile and Outcomes of Central Microbial Keratitis in the Philippines |
| title_sort | clinical profile and outcomes of central microbial keratitis in the philippines |
| topic | central microbial keratitis profile outcomes philippines |
| url | https://paojournal.com/index.php/pjo/article/view/536 |
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