Abstract
Purpose: :
To investigate the occurrence of coinfection among patients with positive culture results for Acanthamoeba keratitis and its clinical correlation.
Methods: :
This was a cross-sectional study of records of patients who had diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis confirmed by laboratory examination (culture). Results from corneal scrapings from the Ocular Microbiology Laboratory - UNIFESP/EPM from September 1989 to July 2009 were reviewed to determine concurrent bacterial or fungal growth and its clinical correlation
Results: :
Acanthamoeba keratitis was identified in 266 eyes. Bacteria and fungi were isolated in 96 (36.0 %) and 4 (1.50%) eyes, respectively. Among bacteria, the most common microorganism found was coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (61 eyes), followed by Corynebacterium spp (11 eyes), Streptococcus spp (11 eyes), Staphylococcus aureus (4 eyes), and Pseudomonas spp (2 eyes). The most common type of fungus was Candida ssp (2 eyes). In 69 patients we reviewed their data and analysed the necessity of surgery. Of 32 patients with coinfection, 21(65%) was submitted to corneal transplantation and in 36 patients without coinfection 21(58%) was performed the same surgery - OR 1.36 (0,51-3,65), p=0,53.
Conclusions: :
The presence of coinfection in patients with Acanthamoeba keratitis may be an indicator of worse prognosis.
Keywords: Acanthamoeba • keratitis • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment