A study on Etiological and Microbiological Profile of Suppurative Keratitis in North Karnataka Population

Background: The main cause of blindness in the world today is corneal disease, which remains second only to cataracts because it includes a wide variety of infections and inflammatory eye diseases. To evaluate the epide-miological trends and risk factors associated with suppurative corneal ulceration and to identify the microbial agents responsible for these corneal infections. Method: 100 patients aged between 10 to 75 years with suppurative keratitis were studied. Corneal ulcers were clinically diagnosed with the help of slit-lamp fundus examination. Visual acuity measured with the help of Snellen’s chart, Routine blood examination, HIV, Hbs-Ag were done. Corneal scraping done with a No. 15 Bard-Parker blade& subjected for Microbiological evaluation. Microbiological investigation includes gram staining, 10% KOH preparation, and bacterial culture using blood agar and chocolate agar. Fungal culture was done on Sabouraud’s dextrose agar medium. Results: 95% people with corneal ulcer had trauma by vegetative matter and foreign body as predisposing factor for keratitis and late presentation of patient to Ophthal OPD, as patient got treated at local hospital by cortico-steroid for foreign body (5%). The maximum duration of symptom was 81% in 1–10 days; >20 days was 1% in patients. Gram stain reported 91.8% sensitivity for bacteria, fungi 89.8% sensitivity, 10% KOH had 61% posi-tive, 39% negative patients. Fusarium, Aspergillus Spp being most common fungal & Staphylococcus Aureus being most common pathogens corneal ulcer. Conclusion: The present pragmatic, different microbiological profile study will certainly help the ophthalmolo-gist treat such patients efficiently to prevent blindness.