title: Acanthamoeba keratitis - a six year epidemiological review from a tertiary care eye hospital in south India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study analyses the prevalence, demography, predisposing factors and seasonal variation of Acanthamoeba keratitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of all cases presenting with keratitis at the cornea clinic, Aravind Eye Hospital, Coimbatore, from August 1997 to July 2003, was done for screening patients with a provisional diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis. Their records were further analyzed for microbiological details. Cases with culture proven Acanthamoeba keratitis were included for epidemiological analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From a total of 4519 patients who attended cornea clinic 32 (33 eyes) patients were confirmed to be positive for Acanthamoeba keratitis. Twenty cases (62.5%) were males. Majority (18; 54.2%) of the Acanthamoeba keratitis eyes reported corneal trauma by solid objects. No peak period was observed in a year, as the number of cases was almost uniform in all months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates the increasing prevalence of Acanthamoeba keratitis among non-contact lens users in this region during the 6-year period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Aravind Eye Care System, Aravind Eye Hospital and Post Graduate Institute of Ophthalmology, Avinashi Road, Coimbatore- 641 014, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manikandan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhaskar
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Revathy
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Narendran
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Panneerselvam