Microbial keratitis in West Anatolia, Turkey: a retrospective review.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the clinical and microbiological characteristics of microbial keratitis in West Anatolia, Turkey during a 16-year period.


METHODS
This is a retrospective study in which medical records were reviewed for all eyes with clinically diagnosed microbial keratitis presenting at the Izmir Ataturk Training and Research Hospital from January 1990 to December 2005. Risk factors, microbial isolations and clinical features were analyzed.


RESULTS
Microbial keratitis was diagnosed for 620 eyes in 620 patients (250 women and 370 men; mean age: 54.13 years +/- 20.06). Pathogens from cultures were identified for 225 eyes (36.2%) and included Gram-negative (8.9%) and Gram-positive micro-organisms (68.8%) and fungi (22.3%). Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most commonly isolated micro-organism (26.6%), followed by S. aureus (24.4%), Streptococci pneumoniae (15.5%), fungi (22.3%), Pseudomonas species (6.6%), Enterobacter (2.2%) and Corynebacterium (2.2%). Ocular trauma was the most common predisposing factor (26.6%). Mean duration from onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 11.68 +/- 11.29 days.


CONCLUSIONS
Staphylococci are the most commonly isolated microbial agents in cases of infectious keratitis in West Anatolia, Turkey. These findings will provide valuable background information and facilitate successful treatment in this region, and they will be useful as reference data for the particular population in this region as a basis for empirical antibiotic therapy.
Yilmaz
Safiye
S
Department of Ophthalmology, Izmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Mustafa Kemal Cad. No. 36/4, 35040 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey. safiyekucukbay@hotmail.com
Ozturk
Ilgin
I
Maden
Ahmet
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003315:Cornea / Q000382:microbiology; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D015821:Eye Infections, Fungal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007634:Keratitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology