Etiologies of Infectious Keratitis in Malawi.

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TitleEtiologies of Infectious Keratitis in Malawi.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2024
AuthorsKalua K, Misanjo ES, Lietman TM, Ruder K, Zhong L, Chen C, Liu YH, Yu D, Abraham T, Wu N, Yan D, Hinterwirth A, Doan T, Seitzman GD
JournalAm J Trop Med Hyg
Date Published2024 Jul 16
ISSN1476-1645
Abstract

Infectious keratitis is a leading cause of corneal blindness worldwide with little information known about causative etiologies in Malawi, Africa. This area is resource-limited with ophthalmologist and microbiology services. The Department of Ophthalmology at the Kamuzu College of Health Sciences in Blantyre, Malawi, is a participating site of an international corneal ulcer consortium, capriCORN (Comprehensive Analysis of Pathogens, Resistomes, and Inflammatory-markers in the CORNea). In this study, 50 patients with corneal ulcers were swabbed for pathogen identification using RNA-sequencing. Corneal trauma was reported in 41% and 19% of the patients worked in agriculture. A pathogen was identified in 58% of the cases. Fungal pathogens predominated, followed by viruses and bacteria. Aspergillus, Fusarium, HSV-1, and Gardnerella were the most common pathogens detected. 50% of patients reported treatment with an antibiotic before presentation. Pathogens unusual for infectious keratitis, such as Subramaniula asteroids, Aureobasidium pullulans, and Gardnerella vaginalis, were also detected.

DOI10.4269/ajtmh.24-0149
Alternate JournalAm J Trop Med Hyg
PubMed ID39013379