title: Epidemio-Clinico-Microbiological Study of Mycotic Keratitis in North-West Region of Rajasthan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mycotic keratitis, with its diverse clinical presentation and difficulties in treatment, makes it a challenging task for clinicians and an important object of study. The aim of present study was to determine the frequency of occurrence and epidemiological association with identification of fungal isolates from mycotic keratitis cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective and observational study conducted in Mycology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, S.P. Medical College, Bikaner, on corneal scrapings and swabs of a total of 480 patients attending the Ophthalmology OPD, P.B.M. Hospital, Bikaner, during July 2005 to June 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 480 suspected cases, 180 were found to be positive for fungus by smear/culture examination. Increased incidence was seen in the months of May to September with Aspergillus fumigatus being the most common isolate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mycotic keratitis, though an age-old disease, still presented with challenging aspects of diagnosis and treatment. The study showed fungal keratitis is prevalent in rural parts of north-west Rajasthan, mainly found in males (age group 21-40 years) with low socio-economic status (farm or factory workers). The most common cause of fungal keratitis was found to be species of Aspergillus.
authors.affiliation: SP Medical College, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Abhishek
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Binnani
authors.affiliation: JLN Medical College, Ajmer, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India. priyankasn51@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Priyanka Soni
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: JLN Medical College, Ajmer, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Ankur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007634:Keratitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009181:Mycoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Corneal blindness; Epidemiology; Rajasthan