Study of etiology, predisposing factors and differential presentations of Mycotic Keratitis in the indigenous population of Manipur (original) (raw)
Background: Corneal blindness is a major public health problem worldwide and infectious keratitis is one of the predominant causes. About half of corneal ulcers are fungal in tropical zones where the population is predominantly rural. People living in a tropical climate and working in agriculture are clearly significant risks, possibly amplified by the lack of safety precautions in the less advanced agricultural societies. Aims: To identify predisposing factors, causative fungi and to study different presentations of mycotic keratitis in the indigenous population of Manipur. Materials and methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in 25 patients with suppurative corneal ulcer attending to Ophthalmology Department in collaboration with Department of Microbiology, RIMS Hospital, Imphal, over a period of 2 years. (October 2013 to September 2015). Results: Highest incidence of mycotic corneal ulcer was found between 21-50 years of age. Males were only marginally more affected by corneal ulcer than females. Farmers were the most common occupational group affected by corneal ulcer (52%), followed by housewives (16%). The maximum number of corneal ulcer patients attended during the months of November–December (52%), followed by March-April (20%) and January-February (12%). Paddy leaf injury was the most common agent causing injury to the eye resulting in corneal ulcer, constituting 36% of all the ocular trauma. 50 % of the isolated fungi from SDA culture were found to be Fusarium Spp. and the rest 50% comprises of Aspergillus Spp. and Scedosporium Spp. Conclusion: In the present study, it was found that corneal ulcer was common in 31-60 years of age, with marginally higher incidence in male sex. Farmers were most commonly involved regarding occupation and the most common cause of corneal ulcer was attributable to injury by paddy leaf during harvesting season, which falls in the months of November and December. Fusarium constituted 50%, Aspergillus and Scedosporium 25% each as fungal species causing keratitis.