Keratomycosis in and around Chandigarh: A five-year study from a north Indian tertiary care hospital

To find out the prevalence and epidemiological features of keratomycosis in Chandigarh, the present study was carried out jointly by the Departments of Microbiology and Ophthalmology, Government Medical College Hospital, Chandigarh, over a period of 5 years from January 1999 to December 2003. Cornea...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chander Jagdish, Singla Nidhi, Agnihotri Nalini, Arya Sudesh, Deep Antariksh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2008-04-01
Series:Indian Journal of Pathology and Microbiology
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Online Access:http://www.ijpmonline.org/article.asp?issn=0377-4929;year=2008;volume=51;issue=2;spage=304;epage=306;aulast=Chander
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Summary:To find out the prevalence and epidemiological features of keratomycosis in Chandigarh, the present study was carried out jointly by the Departments of Microbiology and Ophthalmology, Government Medical College Hospital, Chandigarh, over a period of 5 years from January 1999 to December 2003. Corneal scrapings were collected from a total of 154 suspected patients of keratomycosis and were processed and identified by standard laboratory techniques. The study revealed that a total of 64 cases (41.55&#x0025;) were positive for fungal agents. Direct microscopy was positive in 52 cases (76.47&#x0025;) and culture in 34 cases (53.12&#x0025;). Most common fungal isolates were <i>Aspergillus</i> species 14 (41.18&#x0025;), <i>Fusarium </i>species 8 (23.53&#x0025;), <i>Candida </i>species 3 (8.82&#x0025;), <i>Curvularia </i>species 2 (5.88&#x0025;) and <i>Bipolaris</i> species 2 (5.88&#x0025;). Thus, hyaline filamentous fungi were the most common etiological agents and mechanical trauma with vegetative matter was the most common predisposing factor. Males in age group of 21-50 years were more commonly affected
ISSN:0377-4929