Mycotic keratitis in India: a five-year retrospective study

Background: Mycotic keratitis is a fungal infection of the cornea. This infection is difficult to treat and it can lead to severe visual impairment or blindness. It is worldwide in distribution, but is more common in the tropics and subtropical regions. Trauma is the major predisposing factor, foll...

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Main Authors: Ragini Tilak, Abhisek Singh, Om Prakash Singh Maurya, Abhishek Chandra, Vijai Tilak, Anil Kumar Gulati
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2010-03-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/309
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author Ragini Tilak
Abhisek Singh
Om Prakash Singh Maurya
Abhishek Chandra
Vijai Tilak
Anil Kumar Gulati
author_facet Ragini Tilak
Abhisek Singh
Om Prakash Singh Maurya
Abhishek Chandra
Vijai Tilak
Anil Kumar Gulati
author_sort Ragini Tilak
collection DOAJ
description Background: Mycotic keratitis is a fungal infection of the cornea. This infection is difficult to treat and it can lead to severe visual impairment or blindness. It is worldwide in distribution, but is more common in the tropics and subtropical regions. Trauma is the major predisposing factor, followed by ocular and systemic defects, prior application of corticosteroids, and prolonged use of antibiotic eye-drops.  The objective of this study was to determine causative agents and to identify the predisposing factors of mycotic keratitis. Methodology: Corneal scrapings from 90 corneal ulcer patients with suspected fungal etiology were subjected to direct examination by 10% KOH mount, Gram stain and culture. Results: This study included 90 subjects with corneal ulcers, based on clinical suspicion, of whom 41 cases were diagnosed with mycotic keratitis in the laboratory. Among these 41 cases, culture showed fungal growth only in 36 cases whereas the remaining five cases were positive only by potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparation. Males were more commonly affected and were mostly in the age group of 31-40 years. Aspergillus flavus was the most common fungus isolated followed by fusarium solani. Conclusion: Rapid diagnosis and early institution of antifungal therapy is necessary to prevent ocular morbidity and blindness. Although culture helps in definite diagnosis and identification, direct microscopic detection of fungal structures in corneal scrapes or biopsies permits a rapid presumptive diagnosis.
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publisher The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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spelling doaj-art-b3bc626a67f545a8827b326bde5772b72025-08-20T03:48:58ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802010-03-0140310.3855/jidc.309Mycotic keratitis in India: a five-year retrospective studyRagini Tilak0Abhisek Singh1Om Prakash Singh Maurya2Abhishek Chandra3Vijai Tilak4Anil Kumar Gulati5Department of Microbiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, VaranasiDepartment of Ophthalmology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, VaranasiDepartment of Ophthalmology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, VaranasiDepartment of Ophthalmology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, VaranasiDepartment of Pathology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, VaranasiDepartment of Microbiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi Background: Mycotic keratitis is a fungal infection of the cornea. This infection is difficult to treat and it can lead to severe visual impairment or blindness. It is worldwide in distribution, but is more common in the tropics and subtropical regions. Trauma is the major predisposing factor, followed by ocular and systemic defects, prior application of corticosteroids, and prolonged use of antibiotic eye-drops.  The objective of this study was to determine causative agents and to identify the predisposing factors of mycotic keratitis. Methodology: Corneal scrapings from 90 corneal ulcer patients with suspected fungal etiology were subjected to direct examination by 10% KOH mount, Gram stain and culture. Results: This study included 90 subjects with corneal ulcers, based on clinical suspicion, of whom 41 cases were diagnosed with mycotic keratitis in the laboratory. Among these 41 cases, culture showed fungal growth only in 36 cases whereas the remaining five cases were positive only by potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparation. Males were more commonly affected and were mostly in the age group of 31-40 years. Aspergillus flavus was the most common fungus isolated followed by fusarium solani. Conclusion: Rapid diagnosis and early institution of antifungal therapy is necessary to prevent ocular morbidity and blindness. Although culture helps in definite diagnosis and identification, direct microscopic detection of fungal structures in corneal scrapes or biopsies permits a rapid presumptive diagnosis. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/309Corneal infectionsfungal keratitismycotic keratitisFusarium sp.Aspergillus sp.
spellingShingle Ragini Tilak
Abhisek Singh
Om Prakash Singh Maurya
Abhishek Chandra
Vijai Tilak
Anil Kumar Gulati
Mycotic keratitis in India: a five-year retrospective study
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Corneal infections
fungal keratitis
mycotic keratitis
Fusarium sp.
Aspergillus sp.
title Mycotic keratitis in India: a five-year retrospective study
title_full Mycotic keratitis in India: a five-year retrospective study
title_fullStr Mycotic keratitis in India: a five-year retrospective study
title_full_unstemmed Mycotic keratitis in India: a five-year retrospective study
title_short Mycotic keratitis in India: a five-year retrospective study
title_sort mycotic keratitis in india a five year retrospective study
topic Corneal infections
fungal keratitis
mycotic keratitis
Fusarium sp.
Aspergillus sp.
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/309
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