title: Post-photorefractive keratectomy contact lens microbiological findings of individuals who work in a hospital environment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the microbiological findings from bandage contact lenses in patients who work in a hospital environment submitted to photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective comparative case series enrolled 43 eyes of 22 volunteers (28.05 ± 3.50 years). Fourteen individuals (n = 27) were health care professionals who work in health care facilities or community physician's offices. Eight individuals (n = 16) were patients who do not work in hospital environment. Photorefractive keratectomy was performed using standard technique, and a silicone hydrogel bandage contact lens was placed on the cornea and evaluated for adequate fit. Seven days after surgery, the bandage lenses were removed and imprinted in the following culture media: blood agar, chocolate agar, anaerobic-selective agar, and Sabouraud agar. When microbial growth was detected, the microorganism was identified, colony-forming units were quantified, and morphology and Gram-staining properties were analyzed. All isolates were tested for susceptibility to various antibiotics. Significance was assessed by Fisher exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Microbial growth was detected in 16.27% of all contact lenses samples. No fungi or anaerobes were found. Microbial growth was only observed in bandage lenses removed from patients who work in hospital environments. Most microorganisms found were sensitive to all antibiotics tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that working in hospital environments increase contamination of the contact lenses after PRK.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology (C.E.G.P., R.Y.H., M.R.d.A., G.A.F.-L., A.L.-N.), Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; "Salvador Arena" Ocular Tissue Bank (R.Y.H.), Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Infection Control Division of Central Hospital (C.B.S.), Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Department of Ophthalmology (R.Y.H.), University of São Paulo (USP), Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo Gonçalves
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Richard Yudi
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Hida
authors.forename: Cely Barreto
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Marizilda Rita
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: de Andrade
authors.forename: Giovana Arlene
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Fioravanti-Lui
authors.forename: Adamo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lui-Netto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic / Q000382:microbiology*; D004209:Disposable Equipment / Q000382:microbiology; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents