Epidemiological and etiological diagnosis of suppurative keratitis in Vadodara, Gujarat, India.

Background: Corneal blindness is a major public health problem in India and infections constitute a major cause, second only to cataract. The purpose of this study was to identify the specific organisms responsible for suppurative keratitis, and to determine the risk factors predisposing to suppurative keratitis in Vadodara, Gujarat. Methods & Materials: All patients with suspected suppurative corneal ulceration presenting between 1st January 2014 to 30th November 2014 to Ophthalmology department at S.S.G. Hospital,Vadodara were evaluated. The corneal scrapings were performed for cultures and smears by using standard protocols and information pertaining to risk factors was recorded. Results: In the 11 months period, 66 patients with suspected corneal ulceration were evaluated. Corneal cultures were found to be positive in 33 (50%) patients. Of the 66 patients, 19 (28.70%)were diagnosed as bacterial keratitis and 14(21.30%) as fungal keratitis. The most common fungal pathogen isolated was Aspergillus spp, representing (42%) of all positive fungal cultures, followed by Candida albicans (21%). The predominant bacterial pathogen isolated wasStaphylococcus aureus representing(31.57%)of all positive bacterial cultures, followed by Pseudomonas spp (21.07%). Conclusion: Suppurative keratitis is one of the leading causes of blindness in rural India and most often occurs due to superficial corneal trauma, accounting for 84.84% of culture positive cases. In patients of corneal trauma with vegetative matter which was the most common traumatic agent,78.57% developed fungal keratitis whereas 36.84% developed bacterial keratitis (total of 64.28%). Aspergillus spp was responsible for most of the fungal infections and Staphylococcus aureus accounted for the majority of bacterial infections. It is imperative to know the local etiology of keratitis in a particular region particularly if diagnosis is going to be reliant on clinical signs for the prompt treatment of suppurative keratitis. This study helps in finding the most prevalent microorganisms in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]