Microbial Spectrum of Keratitis at a Rural Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital

Microbial keratitis poses a significant threat to vision and is a common ocular infection. Its causative agents encompass a wide spectrum, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. The microbiological profile of microbial keratitis is influenced by factors such as patient demographics, geographical location, climate, and occupational hazards and evolves over time.

Corneal scrapings were collected from 75 patients with a provisional diagnosis of microbial keratitis. The samples were processed in the microbiology laboratory, and the bacterial and fungal growth isolated in the study were identified according to standard procedures.

Among the 75 patients, 48 (64%) were male and 27 (36%) were female. Corneal ulceration was found in individuals of all age groups, with the highest prevalence of 77.33% (58/75) observed in the 21-60 age range. Farmers exhibited a higher susceptibility, constituting 66.67% (50/75) of the cases. The study noted a higher occurrence of keratitis from November to February, accounting for 69.33% (52/75). Microbial etiology was identified in 25.33% (19/75) of scrapings, with fungi accounting for 68.42% (13/19) and bacteria for 31.57% (6/19). The prevalent fungal species included Fusarium (7/13, 53.84%), Aspergillus (3/13, 23.07%), Colletotrichum (2/13, 15.38%), and Curvularia ​​​​​​​(1/13, 7.69%). Bacterial isolates featured Streptococcus pneumoniae (5/6, 83.33%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (1/6, 16.66%).

This study underscores the importance of regularly updating local microbial profiles and understanding antimicrobial resistance patterns. Such updates are critical for informed decision-making in selecting optimal topical treatments for microbial keratitis.