[2-year retrospective study of 344 patients presenting for corneal lesion and who were examined for free amebas].
OBJECTIVE
The number of cases of amibian keratitis seems to have increased in the XV-XX hospital. Consequently, a study was carried out on 344 patients who came to be treated for keratitis or corneal ulcers over the last two years.


METHODS
28 patients out of 344 showed Acanthamoeba in lens storage cases and/or corneal scrapes. The diagnosis, treatment and clinical evolution of 28 patients were presented.


RESULTS
26/28 patients wore contact lenses, 22 lens cases examined out of 149 (15%) and 7 of corneal scrapes out of 344 (2%) showed the presence of Acanthamoeba. 68% of patients (19 out of 28) came to be treated for the first time in the emergency department. 2/28 patients (7%) were examined at the very beginning of the amibian infection and 24/28 patients (86%) showed the beginnings of stromal infiltration. The diagnosis for 13 of the patients was made within 15 days. 19/28 patients recovered, 1 patient had to undergo a penetrating keratoplasty, 4/28 patients had bacterial infections and 4/28 patients disappeared and we heard nothing more from them.


CONCLUSIONS
Acanthamoeba were isolated from only 7 cornea, whereas 24 patients had an amibian infection. A deep corneal scrape is necessary to avoid a false negative result. A lens storage cases examination is highly recommended.
Debbasch
C
C
Laboratoire de Biologie, Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts, Paris.
Chaumeil
C
C
Batellier
L
L
Scat
Y
Y
D015823:Acanthamoeba Keratitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission; D003261:Contact Lenses; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors