Keratomycosis: Statistical and Clinical Report

ABSTRACT

We evaluated 247 corneal ulcers of 28,004 OPD patients in whom materials from corneal scrapings were routinely plated on Sabouraud's glucose agar and thioglycolate broth for fungal and bacterial culture, respectively, at the Chonnam National University from January 1981 to July 1987. The results were as follows 1. Corneal ulcers were 0.9%(247 cases) of 28,004 OPD patients; the highest, 1.3%(41 cases) in 1981 and the lowest, 0.6%(33 cases) in 1986, and the frequency decreased slightly in the last seven years. 2. Of the corneal ulcers, bacterial ulcers were 64 cases(25.9%), fungal, 51 cases(20.6%), herpetic, 40 cases(16.2%) and 92 cases(37.3%) were unknown in causative organism. 3. Of the 51 fungal origin, 24(47.1%) were men, compared to 27 women(52.9 %), and 28 cages(54.9%) were in the 40's and 50's. 4. Fungal or anisms were isolated from 51 cases(20.6%) of 247 corneal ulcers; the peak incidence was 39.4%(13 cases) in 1986 and the lowest, 8.8%(3 cases) in 1983. 5. Isolated fungi were categorized into 8 species, 9 groups including 21(41.2%) Fusarium sp., 17(33.3%) Aspergillus sp., 5(9.7%) penicillium sp., 3(5.8%) Candida albicans, 2(4.0%) Trichophyton rubrum and 1(2.0%) Alternaria sp., Streptomyces sp. and Paecilomyces sp., respectively. 6. The seasonal peak was in the summer (June to August); the onset peaked from May through October, 33 cases(64.7%), and 18 cases(35.3%) developed in the months of November through April. 7. With the treatment of oral and topical ketoconazole, successful outcome was achieved in 24 cases(61.5%) of the 39 cases treated at our Dept. continuously at least for a week, and the duration of treatment was averaged 24 days.