Demographic and Microbiological Characteristics of Patients with Infectious Corneal Ulcers Treated at a Private Laboratory in Trujillo, Peru
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20453/rmh.v37i3.6718Keywords:
corneal ulcer, corneal injuries, keratitis, bacterial infections and mycosesAbstract
Objective: To determine the demographic and microbiological characteristics of infected corneal ulcers in patients evaluated at a private laboratory in Trujillo, Peru. Methods: A descriptive, observational, retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted on 140 patients with culture-positive corneal ulcers from January to December 2021. Results: Among the 140 patients with corneal ulcers, 75.7% were male. The mean age was 46.6 ± 18 years (range: 2 to 89 years). The right eye was more frequently affected. Bacteria accounted for 57.1% of the cultures, fungi for 40.0%, and mixed cultures for 2.9%. The most frequent bacterial species were Staphylococcus sp. (67.5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (15%), and Streptococcus pneumoniae (6.3%). Among fungal isolates, Fusarium moniliforme was isolated in 67.9%, Fusarium solani in 12.5%, and Rhizoctonia sp. in 7.1%. Regarding associated factors, 121 (86.4%) cases were due to some type of trauma, pre-existing medical conditions in 5.0%, intraocular lens in 4.3%, and contact lens wear in 2.1%. Conclusions: Bacterial and fungal infections predominated in males and agricultural workers. Staphylococcus sp. was the most common bacterial isolate, while Fusarium species were the predominant fungal pathogens. The most frequent predisposing risk factor for corneal ulceration was ocular trauma, involving either soil microparticles or plant matter.
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