title: Demograhic pattern, clinical features and treatment outcome of patients with infective keratitis in the eastern region of Nepal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  corneal ulcer is one of the major causes of monocular blindness in developing countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to determine demographic pattern, risk factors, microbiological pattern and treatment outcome of infective keratitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  a retrospective analysis of hospital records of 44 patients with clinically-diagnosed infective keratitis presenting to B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in the eastern region of Nepal was carried out.
  
  
  METHODS
  the parameters studied were risk factors and organisms responsible for keratitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the infective keratitis was mostly prevalent among the males between 21-40 years of age (50%). 79.5 % of them were engaged in agricultural work. Ahistory of corneal injury was found in 30 eyes (68.1%). Vegetative matter was the most common agent of trauma in 17 (56.6%). Culture positivity for microorganisms was observed in 20 (45.5%) samples. Of these, 8 (40%) patients had purely bacterial corneal ulcer. Purely fungal growth was seen in 4 (20%) and mixed in 8 (40%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most commonly isolated bacteria (70%). The other bacteria included Pseudomonas species, E. coli and Acinetobactor. Aspergillus species was the most common fungal organism isolated in 8 (40%) samples. 65.9 % of the patients improved with medical treatment alone. Perforation, endophthalmitis and panophthalmitis were the common complications encountered in 11.3%, 4.5% and 4.5% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  corneal ulcer is prevalent in males, predominantly amongst the farmers. Ocular trauma with vegetative matter is the commonest predisposing factor. Staphylococcus aureus and Aspergillus species are the most commonly isolated organisms in corneal ulcers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences Dharan, Nepal. ophth_eye@yahoo.com
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lavaju
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Arya
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Khanal
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amatya
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D015821:Eye Infections, Fungal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007634:Keratitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents