ABSTRACT
<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>This study was conducted to determine the epidemiological pattern and risk factors associated with corneal ulcers in rural areas of western Maharashtra, India, and to identify the bacterial and fungal agents responsible for causing keratitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 852 patients with corneal ulceration were included in the study. Sociodemographic data and information pertaining to risk factors were collected. Corneal scrapings obtained from these patients were processed for bacterial and fungal agents using standard techniques.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Out of the 852 patients studied, 537 (63.02%) were culture positive. A majority of the culture-positive patients were farmers (52.32%), and ocular trauma was the most common predisposing factor (60.15%). Among these patients, fungal isolates (57.91%) were more frequent than bacterial isolates (42.08%). The most common fungal isolate was Fusarium spp. (35.04%) followed by Aspergillus spp. (18.00%). Streptococcus pneumoniae was the predominant bacterial isolates (32.74%) followed by Staphylococcus spp. (17.25%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Corneal trauma from plant parts or organic matter was found to be the most common risk factor associated with corneal ulceration in the rural areas of western Maharashtra. Epidemiology and aetiology of microbial keratitis vary from region to region, and therefore, careful history taking and proper identification of aetiological agents are necessary for the institution of appropriate therapy.</p>