Risk Factors and Common Organisms in Bacterial Keratitis in a Tertiary Center in Iran

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Infectious keratitis poses a significant threat to vision.
• Understanding causative agents and risk factors is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify microorganisms causing infectious keratitis.
• To investigate risk factors for infectious keratitis.
• To analyze treatment outcomes over a 12-year period.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 867 infectious keratitis cases (2009-2021).
• Corneal scraping for microbial analysis in 414 patients.
• Review of treatment strategies including antibiotics and surgical interventions.

Main Results:

• Trauma was the most frequent risk factor (21.9%).
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the predominant isolate; Staphylococcus aureus was common in patients under 50.
• Surgical interventions, including tarsorrhaphy and corneal grafts, were performed in a significant proportion of patients.

Conclusions:

• Trauma is the primary predisposing factor for microbial corneal ulcers.
• P. aeruginosa is the predominant pathogen in adult infectious keratitis in Iran.
• Age influences the spectrum of causative microorganisms.