Microbial investigations in keratitis at the Sydney Eye Hospital

• Published in: Australian and New Zealand journal of ophthalmology Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 413 - 416
• Main Authors: McClellan, K. A., Bernard, P.J., Billson, F.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-11-1989
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cephalothin - therapeutic use; Child; Corynebacterium sp; culture-negative cases; Drug Therapy, Combination; Eye Infections, Bacterial - drug therapy; Eye Infections, Bacterial - microbiology; Eye Infections, Fungal - drug therapy; Eye Infections, Fungal - microbiology; Eye Infections, Viral - drug therapy; Eye Infections, Viral - microbiology; Female; Gentamicins - therapeutic use; Humans; Keratitis - drug therapy; Keratitis - microbiology; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Staphylococcus epidermidis; suppurative keratitis
• ISSN: 0814-9763; 1440-1606
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9071.1989.tb00564.x

We investigated 107 cases of presumed microbial keratitis amongst patients presenting to the Sydney Eye Hospital between October 1986 and August 1988 to determine the frequency of infection, the common causative organisms and those factors that predispose to corneal infection.
We found that 95% of culture‐proven cases were caused by bacteria and that Staphylococcus epidermidis and Corynebacterium sp, accounted for 42.5% of these cases. All bacteria (except Staphylococcus epidermidis and Mycobacrerium chelonae) were sensitive to gentamicin.
In 62.6% of cases, cultures for bacteria and fungi were negative. Retrospective review of the clinical records of these patients showed that herpes simplex virus, contact lens wear, staphylococcal marginal keratitis and recurrent erosion were important causes of keratitis in this group.