Etiology of Infectious Keratitis as Seen at a Tertiary Care Center in Larkana, Pakistan

Authors

  • Syed Imtiaz Ali Shah, Shujaat Ali Shah, Partab Rai Safdar Ali Abbasi, Huda Fatima, Ali Akbar Soomro

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36351/pjo.v32i1.137

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the different causes of infectious keratitis and their
relative frequencies in the patients coming to a tertiary care center in Larkana,
Pakistan.
Study Design: Prospective case series.
Place and duration of study: This study was carried out at the Department of
Ophthalmology, Chandka Medical College Hospital Larkana, Pakistan, from
February 2004 up till February 2015.
Material and Methods: The number of patients clinically diagnosed as case of
infectious keratitis included in the study, were 2411. Patients excluded from the
study were under the age of 16 years, or having Mooren’s ulcer, or ulcers
associated with exposure, autoimmune and systemic diseases. Corneal swabs
or scrapings were taken and prepared on separate slides for microscopic
evaluation of Bacteria, Fungi and Acanthamoeba; while the viral keratitis was
diagnosed on clinical grounds. A standard proforma, including sex and age of
the patient, clinical diagnosis and the results of corneal scrapings, was filled for
each patient. SPSS version 20 was used for data entry and analysis.
Results: Out of the total 2411 patients, 60.02% were males and 39.98% were
females. The mean age (± standard deviation) was 36.73 ± 15.49 years. The
final report showed that the major cause of infectious keratitis were Bacteria with
56.12% of the total cases, followed by Fungi with 38.45%. Cases of Viral keratitis
were 3.65% and 1.78% patients had Acanthamoeba keratitis.
Conclusion: Bacteria and Fungi are responsible for the bulk (94.57%) of
infectious keratitis but Virus and Acanthamoeba should not be ignored or
underestimated.
Keywords: Keratitis, Acanthamoeba keratitis, Eye Infections, Bacterial, Fungal,
Viral.

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Published

31-03-2016

How to Cite

1.
Huda Fatima, Ali Akbar Soomro SIASSASPRSAA. Etiology of Infectious Keratitis as Seen at a Tertiary Care Center in Larkana, Pakistan. pak J Ophthalmol [Internet]. 2016 Mar. 31 [cited 2024 Mar. 29];32(1). Available from: https://pjo.org.pk/index.php/pjo/article/view/137

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Section

Review Articles