Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To study the microbial profile and sensitivity patterns in cases of infectious keratitis in 1997 and 2002, and to consider how these patterns may guide therapy. Methods: Retrospective study of all cases of infectious keratitis presenting at Duke University Eye Center between the months of January and September in 1997 and a similar period in 2002. Gram stain, culture, and antibiotic sensitivities were studied. Results: Culture results were reviewed in 29 cases in 1997 and 51 cases in 2002. In 1997, cultures were positive in 19 cases (66%) for a total of 30 isolates. Of these, 77% were gram-positive and 23% were gram-negative. The bacterial pathogens included coagulase negative staph. (37%), S. aureus (17%), alpha-hemolytic strep (10%), P. aeruginosa (7%), Propionibacterium species (7%), enterobacter (7%), and others (15%). Comparatively, in 2002 cultures were positive in 39 cases (76%) for a total of 46 isolates. Of these, 82% were gram-positive and 17% were gram-negative, with pathogens including coagulase negative staph. (43%), P. aeruginosa (13%), alpha-hemolytic strep (13%), S. aureus (9%), Propionibacterium species (9%), S. pneumococcus (4%), and others (9%). Among S. aureus isolates, resistance to cefazolin was 40% in 1997 compared to 25% in 2002. Among gram-negative pathogens tested for sensitivities against gentamicin and ciprofloxacin, resistance to gentamicin was 20% in 1997 compared to 0% in 2002, and no resistance to ciprofloxacin was found in either 1997 or 2002. Conclusions: The microbial profiles were similar in 1997 and 2002. In this study, there was no evidence of increasing resistance of S. aureus isolates to cefazolin. In addition, there was no evidence of increasing resistance of gram-negative isolates to ciprofloxacin or gentamicin.
Keywords: bacterial disease • keratitis • antibiotics/antifungals/antiparasitics