title: Epidemiology and etiologic diagnosis of infectious keratitis in Uberlandia, Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study risk factors, microbiological characteristics, and clinical course of nonviral infectious keratitis diagnosed in a referral service of ophthalmology.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 65 charts of patients with microbial keratitis were retrospectively reviewed at the Clinical Hospital of Federal University of Uberlandia, Brazil, from July 2001 through August 2004. All cases were submitted to microbiological tests and treated according to local protocol. Risk factors, clinical course, therapeutic keratoplasty, and visual outcomes were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of patients was 45.9 years (2-83 years) and male to female ratio 2.6:1. Symptoms at presentation ranged from 1-3 days in 16 patients out of 65 (24.61%), 4-7 days in 19 cases (19/65; 29.23%), and more than 7 days in 27 patients (27/65; 41.53%). The major risk factor was trauma (28/65; 40%), predominantly by organic material. A total of 32 eyes out of 65 (49.23%) were culture positive. Fungi were the most common isolates (18/32; 56.25%), being headed by Fusarium sp. (11/65; 16.92%), and the most common bacteria was Streptococcus pneumoniae (7/65; 10.77%). Final visual acuity was equal to or better than 20/60 in 20 patients out of 65 (30.77%), between 20/60 and 20/400 in 7 patients (7/65; 10.77%), and worse than 20/400 in 35 patients out of 65 (53.85%). A total of 48 eyes out of 65 (73.84%) presented corneal scar, 12 eyes (12/65; 18.46%) needed therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty, and 2 eyes (2/65; 3.08%) were eviscerated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high incidence of fungal keratitis in the studied population shows their vulnerability to such infections, which may result in devastating visual outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of Uberlandia, Minas Gerais - Brazil. rafael@portaeletrica.com.br
authors.forename: Rafael Lacerdda
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Furlanetto
authors.forename: Eduardo G V
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Andreo
authors.forename: Ioná G A
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Finotti
authors.forename: Enyr S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Arcieri
authors.forename: Magno A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Flavio J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002437:Cefazolin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003315:Cornea / Q000382:microbiology; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D015821:Eye Infections, Fungal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D002437:Cefazolin