[Corneal abscess: therapeutic attitude based on microbiological testing].
OBJECTIVE
Bacterial corneal ulcers can affect the integrity of the eye and need therefore to be treated following strict rules. The authors present a prospective study on 15 bacterial corneal ulcers for which the initial treatment with topical fortified antibiotics was guided according to the results of Gram stain.


METHODS
Gram positive cocci ulcers were treated with vancomycine (5 cases), Gram negative rod ulcers with gentamycine and ticarcilline (2 cases), and the association of these 3 antibiotics was used when no bacteria was found (8 cases).


RESULTS
The results of the Gram stain and the culture were consistent in all the cases. Mean healing time was statistically significantly shorter when an infectious agent was found on Gram stain (13 days) than when not (23 days).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the prognosis of bacterial corneal ulcers is enhanced when infectious agents are recovered and that the strategy of initiating an antibiotic therapy adapted to the gram stain results appears reliable and efficient. The successful outcome of this approach needs a perfect collaboration with the microbiologist.
Briat
B
B
Service d'Ophtalmologie, CHU Bichat-Claude Bernard, Paris.
Hoang-Xuan
T
T
D000038:Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
Abcès de cornée: attitude thérapeutique adaptée à l'enquête microbiologique.