23 MYCOLOGICAL PROFILE AND ANTIFUNGAL SENSITIVITY OF INFECTIVE KERATITIS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF SOUTHERN ODISHA Sahu Sumanta 1 , Padhi Sanghamitra 1* , Parida Banojini 1 , Padhi Abhishek 1 , Baral Biswajit 2 1 Department of Microbiology, 2 Department of Ophthalmology, M K.C.G Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur, Odisha, India. Original Article International Journal of Clinical and Biomedical Research. © 2018 Sumathi Publications. This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, provided the original work is properly cited. INTRODUCTION Keratts is an infammaton of the cornea produced by infectous organism or non-infectous agents or stmuli. Infectous keratts (microbial keratts) is a potentally vision threatening conditon that can be caused by bac- teria, viruses, fungi or parasites.[1] Mycotc keratts (keratomycosis) is an invasive infecton of corneal stro- ma caused by variety of fungal species, that leads to infammaton and ulceraton of the cornea. Fungal eto- logical agents of keratomycosis belongs to at least 70 species from 40 genera of flamentous fungi and yeasts. Of these majority of cases were caused by Aspergillus, Fusarium and demataceous fungal species.[2] Correspondence: Dr. Sanghamitra Padhi, Department of Microbiology, MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, India. Email id: padhisanghamitra@yahoo.in Keratomycosis occurs all over the world but the inci- dence is highest in warm and humid climates and par- tcularly in a rural environment. India being a tropical agricultural country has a higher prevalence of fungal keratts.[3]Most common predisposing factor for kera- tomycosis seems to be the corneal trauma by vegeta- tve or soil mater.[4]Other risk factors include an im- mune-compromised host, topical or systemic cortco- steroid administraton, dry eye, contact lens wearers and neurotropic cornea. A study in India revealed that around1 % of the popula- ton or 9 million people will acquire microbial keratts in each 10 years and 50% of these cases will be fungal. [5] The incidence of fungal keratts has been reported to range between 25.6% - 36.7% in various parts of India.[6] Study conducted from South India reported that 44% of all central corneal ulcers were caused by fungi.[7] Odisha being in subtropical region has favorable envi- ronment for fungal growth as majority of people are involved in agriculture and this makes them more vul- ABSTRACT Background: Infectve keratts is the second major cause of blindness next to cataract. Mycotc keratts is an im- portant ophthalmologic problem especially in developing countries including India. Fungal infecton involving cornea is a fatal conditon which needs early diagnosis and treatment to save the patent ’s eye. Though studies on mycotc keratts have been reported from diferent part of India, to the best of our knowledge this study showing antfungal susceptbility is the frst to be reported from Southern Odisha. Objectve: The purpose of this study was to study epi- demiological characteristcs, predisposing factors, fungal etology and antfungal susceptbility of common fungal isolates in infectve keratts cases. Materials and Methods: A prospectve study was conducted from November 2015 to October 2017 in the Department of Microbiology and Ophthalmology M.K.C.G Medical College and Hospi- tal .Relevant informaton was recorded using standard proforma of keratts cases. Corneal scrapings were collected under strict aseptc conditons and subjected to10% KOH mount, Gram stain and culture. Identfcaton of fungala- gents were done as per standard microbiological procedures. An antfungal sensitvity test was done by microbroth dilutons as per CLSI reference method. Results: Over a period of two years 149 patents of infectve keratts were evaluated. Microbiological diagnosis of mycotc keratts was established in 39 (26.17%) cases. Filamentous fungi were isolated more ofen than yeasts. The most frequently encountered flamentous fungi and yeasts were Aspergil- lus spp. 14 (35.89%) and Candida albicans 7 (17.94%) respectvely. Males were more commonly afected and were mostly in the age group of 46-60 years. Ocular trauma due to vegetatve mater was the most common predisposing factor. Natamycin was the most efectve antfungal against flamentous fungi and amphotericin B was most efectve for Candida albicans. Conclusion: Because of serious consequences of mycotc keratts, it is very important to know the exact etological agents and efectve antfungals to save the eye of the patents. So laboratory confrmaton should be undertaken and fungal infecton should be ruled out before prescribing antmicrobial agents. Keywords: Mycotc keratts; Keratomycosis; Antfungal susceptbility. DOI: 10.5455/ijcbr.2018.41.05 eISSN: 2395-0471 pISSN: 2521-0394 brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by Sumathi Publications (E-Journals)