ABSTRACT
A 78-year-old female developed microbial keratitis from which corneal scrapings grew dysgonic fermenter 2. The infection initially responded poorly to a combination of topical antibiotics and corticosteroids but healed with intensive antibiotic therapy. There was no systemic predisposition to infection, and only feline exposure had occurred. Close association with a cat probably contaminated the eye.
Subject(s)
Cats/microbiology , Cornea/microbiology , Disease Reservoirs , Gram-Negative Bacteria/isolation & purification , Keratitis/microbiology , Aged , Animals , Female , Gram-Negative Bacteria/growth & development , Gram-Negative Bacteria/pathogenicity , Humans , Keratitis/transmissionABSTRACT
Serratia marcescens keratitis developed in three patients after keratoplasty. Two patients were using prednisolone sodium phosphate eyedrops and the third was using 0.5% timolol maleate eyedrops. All three cases resolved after treatment with topically and subconjunctivally administered antibiotics. Although S. marcescens was isolated from the outer grooves of the bottletops and from the inner surfaces of the eyedropper caps, it was not cultured from the solutions in the bottles. Moisture collecting in the dead space between the cap and bottle was apparently a culture medium for Serratia. When eyedrops were expressed into the patient's eyes, the eyes were inoculated with Serratia from the contaminated liquid flowing down the eyedropper shaft.
Subject(s)
Drug Contamination , Keratitis/transmission , Ophthalmic Solutions/adverse effects , Aged , Female , Humans , Keratitis/etiology , Male , Middle Aged , Serratia marcescensABSTRACT
In 1977 thirty-three patients (35 eyes) with permanent-wear contact lenses presented with keratitis in varying degrees of severity. Among the nine cases investigated bacteriologically (including some contact lenses) three showed no organisms, while six were found to have pseudomonas aeruginosa. The contact lenses all came from the same optician, where shortly beforehand the patients had had their lenses either replaced or checked. The inspection of the optical establishment revealed faultless application of steril technique. Nevertheless it must be assumed that contamination of the lenses had had occurred there.
