title: Analysis of bacterial cultures in infectious keratitis, 1997 to 2004.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review bacterial culture results in infectious keratitis at a tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of Gram stain, bacterial culture, and targeted antibiotic sensitivities of all cases of presumed infectious keratitis at Duke University Eye Center from 1997 to 2004 (n = 453).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cultures were positive in 307 cases (68%); 21% demonstrated polymicrobial growth. Among 388 isolates, 81% were Gram-positive. Gram stain results were available in 334 cases, demonstrating 18% sensitivity and 94% specificity. Antibiotic sensitivities revealed 24% resistance of tested S. aureus isolates to cefazolin, and <5% resistance of tested gram-negative isolates to various antibiotics, with no statistically significant increase from 1997 to 2004.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, the microbial profile has remained stable from 1997 to 2004. Gram stain studies were of poor sensitivity, while culture yields were significantly higher and demonstrated a relatively high polymicrobial infection rate. Increasing antibiotic resistance was not clearly demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Eye Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Sandra S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Stinnett
authors.forename: Natalie A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Afshari
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007634:Keratitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents