title: (An)aerobic bacteria found in secondary-cataract material. A SEM/TEM study.
abstract: Twenty four patients, who had marked reduction of vision due to secondary-cataract developed after an ECCE, were treated by surgical cleaning of the posterior lens capsule. During this procedure globular secondary-cataract material was removed and collected for morphological examination by SEM and TEM. Fragments of various sizes and shapes, including some with a 'golf ball' structure, were seen; these closely resembled particles frequently found in cataractous lenses. In addition, in 18 patients micro-organisms were found: rod-shaped bacteria, cocci, and in 2 cases yeasts. These findings were the more remarkable because these were clinically quiet eyes with no signs of intra-ocular inflammation and cultures have been persistently negative. We imagine that these bacteria must have entered the eye during the cataract extraction and have settled there without causing an infection.
authors.affiliation: Histology and Cell Biology Laboratory, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kalicharan
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Jongebloed
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Los
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Worst
mesh_terms: D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002386:Cataract / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D017348:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Transmission; D015003:Yeasts / Q000302:isolation & purification