Document Type : Original Article

Full Text

Authors

Eye Research Center, Department of Eye, Amiralmomenin Hospital, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Science, Rasht, Iran.

Received: 06 December 2021                    Accepted: 03 February 2022                        Published: 08 March 2022

10.22034/MBT.2022.23052216                                                     XML Files


 

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiological aspects of keratomycosis in a tertiary care center from northern Iran.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on all consecutive patients clinically suspected to keratomycosis that were ultimately diagnosed by positive fungal culture that admitted to Amir-almomenin hospital in Rasht city, Iran, between 2012 and 2020. The sampling method was census. Reviewing the hospital-recorded files collected the required information.
Results: Forty-seven patients were examined in the study that 53.2% of patients were men. The most common age of disease onset was 50 to 60 years in women and 60 to 70 years in men. Among the population of women, housewives-farmers with the prevalence rate of 45% and among the population of men, those with farm occupation with the prevalence rate of 52% formed the most common occupational subgroups. Most patients (89.3%) had no history of any ocular surgery or manipulation. Aspergillus was the most frequent pathogen (23.4%) followed by Penicillium (19.1%) and Fusarium (17.0%). History of chronic disorders was also revealed in 44.6%. The results of smear and culture obtained from the study were as follows: in 8.5% of patients as positive smear and positive culture, and in 91.5% as negative smear and positive culture. Only 2.1% used the lens.
Conclusion: Ocular trauma in the background of underlying chronic disorders is the most common causal factor for the infection with far less attention to use contact lenses or eye interventions.

Keywords