Microbiological contamination in donor corneas preserved for medium-term.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Microbiology
• Transplantation Science

Background:

• Donor corneas are essential for treating vision loss.
• Medium-term preservation methods aim to maintain corneal viability for transplantation.
• Microbiological contamination poses a risk to graft success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and types of microbiological contamination in donor corneas preserved for medium-term.
• To assess the impact of contamination on graft outcomes.
• To identify factors influencing contamination rates.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 82 donor corneas preserved in cornea chambers medium-term solution.
• Cultivation and identification of bacteria and fungi from contaminated storage solutions.
• Statistical analysis of donor demographics and contamination rates.
• Follow-up of recipients who received potentially contaminated grafts.

Main Results:

• An overall pathogen positive rate of 9.8% was observed, with fungi being the predominant contaminants (87.5%).
• Specific fungi identified included Fusarium, Chromomycosis, Candida albicans, Aspergillus versicolor, and Acremonium species.
• One case of bacterial contamination by Enterococcus was noted.
• Despite 5 contaminated corneas being used for keratoplasty, no recipient infections occurred, even without routine antifungal prophylaxis.

Conclusions:

• Donor corneas carry a risk of microbiological contamination, predominantly fungal.
• Donor age, gender, procurement site, and cause of death did not significantly influence contamination rates.
• Strict adherence to tissue preservation protocols is crucial for preventing graft infections, rather than routine antifungal administration post-keratoplasty.