title: Management of bacterial corneal ulcers.
abstract: A prospective microbiological study of 48 patients with corneal ulcers due to bacterial infection was performed. Positive cultures of corneal ulcer samples were obtained in 60% of all patients; about half of these patients had received antimicrobial treatment prior to sampling. A relatively high incidence of Staphylococcus epidermidis was isolated from ulcer patients (27%) compared with normal controls (10%). Gram stains of ulcer samples were positive for organisms in only 27% of all patients and were not considered useful in determining initial therapy in this series. We concluded that treatment should be started with a broad combination of antibiotics while awaiting the culture results.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maske
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Oliver
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002648:Child; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins