Purpose  

To analyze the clinical and microbiological characteristics of microbial keratitis in West Anatolia, Turkey during a 16-year period.

Methods  

This is a retrospective study in which medical records were reviewed for all eyes with clinically diagnosed microbial keratitis presenting at the Izmir Ataturk Training and Research Hospital from January 1990 to December 2005. Risk factors, microbial isolations and clinical features were analyzed.

Results  

Microbial keratitis was diagnosed for 620 eyes in 620 patients (250 women and 370 men; mean age: 54.13 years ± 20.06). Pathogens from cultures were identified for 225 eyes (36.2%) and included Gram-negative (8.9%) and Gram-positive micro-organisms (68.8%) and fungi (22.3%). Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most commonly isolated micro-organism (26.6%), followed by S. aureus (24.4%), Streptococci pneumoniae (15.5%), fungi (22.3%), Pseudomonas species (6.6%), Enterobacter (2.2%) and Corynebacterium (2.2%). Ocular trauma was the most common predisposing factor (26.6%). Mean duration from onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 11.68 ± 11.29 days.

Conclusion  

Staphylococci are the most commonly isolated microbial agents in cases of infectious keratitis in West Anatolia, Turkey. These findings will provide valuable background information and facilitate successful treatment in this region, and they will be useful as reference data for the particular population in this region as a basis for empirical antibiotic therapy.