Pediatric microbial keratitis: a tertiary hospital study.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Microbial keratitis is a significant cause of vision loss in children.
• Understanding predisposing factors and causative agents is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the factors contributing to pediatric microbial keratitis.
• To characterize clinical and microbiologic features, treatment strategies, and outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records for 80 eyes in 76 children (≤16 years) with nonviral microbial keratitis.
• Analysis of demographic data, predisposing factors, clinical presentation, microbial isolates, and treatment outcomes.

Main Results:

• Corneal trauma was the most frequent predisposing factor (58.8%).
• Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and Fusarium species were the predominant bacterial and fungal pathogens, respectively.
• Nearly 74% of cases (59/80) required surgical intervention, with 86% achieving good visual acuity (≥20/200).

Conclusions:

• Corneal trauma is a primary risk factor for microbial keratitis in children.
• Early diagnosis, aggressive medical treatment, and timely surgery are vital for favorable visual prognoses.
• Identifying common pathogens guides appropriate antimicrobial therapy.