title: Corneal ulcers in house staff: are risk factors identifiable?
abstract: Thirty-six incoming house officers and 20 incoming third-year medical students had conjunctival cultures taken before and after hospital exposure. The groups were divided evenly between contact-lens and noncontact-lens wearers. A decrease in incidence of positive conjunctival cultures was observed after hospital exposure. Within this group, a lower incidence of positive cultures was observed in contact-lens wearers compared with noncontact-lens wearers. The clinical records of corneal ulcer patients during a three-year period from October 1982 through October 1985 were also reviewed. Significant associated risk factors were identified, the largest of which was contact-lens wear.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001424:Bacterial Infections; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000009:adverse effects; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000209:etiology*; D005123:Eye / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000302:isolation & purification