title: Epidemiological features and laboratory results of bacterial and fungal keratitis: a five-year study at a rural tertiary-care hospital in western Maharashtra, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was conducted to determine the epidemiological pattern and risk factors associated with corneal ulcers in rural areas of western Maharashtra, India, and to identify the bacterial and fungal agents responsible for causing keratitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 852 patients with corneal ulceration were included in the study. Sociodemographic data and information pertaining to risk factors were collected. Corneal scrapings obtained from these patients were processed for bacterial and fungal agents using standard techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 852 patients studied, 537 (63.02%) were culture positive. A majority of the culture-positive patients were farmers (52.32%), and ocular trauma was the most common predisposing factor (60.15%). Among these patients, fungal isolates (57.91%) were more frequent than bacterial isolates (42.08%). The most common fungal isolate was Fusarium spp. (35.04%) followed by Aspergillus spp. (18.00%). Streptococcus pneumoniae was the predominant bacterial isolates (32.74%) followed by Staphylococcus spp. (17.25%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Corneal trauma from plant parts or organic matter was found to be the most common risk factor associated with corneal ulceration in the rural areas of western Maharashtra. Epidemiology and aetiology of microbial keratitis vary from region to region, and therefore, careful history taking and proper identification of aetiological agents are necessary for the institution of appropriate therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Rural Medical College, Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences, Loni, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Sachin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deorukhkar
authors.forename: Ruchi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Katiyar
authors.forename: Santosh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003315:Cornea / Q000382:microbiology; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D015821:Eye Infections, Fungal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006780:Hospitals, Rural; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult