Acanthamoeba keratitis in South India: a longitudinal analysis of epidemics.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

In light of the increased incidence of contact lens associated Acanthamoeba keratitis in recent years, this study analyzed longitudinal trends of its incidence among predominantly non-contact lens wearers in a high-volume referral center in South India.

METHODS:

A retrospective analysis of microbiology laboratory records at the Aravind Eye Hospital from 1988-2009 was performed. The Maximum Excess Events Test (MEET) was used to identify epidemics of Acanthamoeba keratitis.

RESULTS:

There were a total of 38,529 unique cases of infectious keratitis evaluated over this time period, of which 372 were culture-positive for Acanthamoeba. Only three cases (0.9%) of Acanthamoeba keratitis occurred among contact lens wearers. MEET identified unique Acanthamoeba keratitis epidemics in 1993 and 2002.

CONCLUSION:

Discrete epidemics of Acanthamoeba keratitis occurred among a rural, non-contact lens wearing, population in South India in 1993 and 2002.

• Authors: Prajna Lalitha, Charles C Lin, Muthiah Srinivasan, Jeena Mascarenhas, N Venkatesh Prajna, Jeremy D Keenan, Stephen D McLeod, Nisha R Acharya, Thomas M Lietman, Travis C Porco
• Journal: Ophthalmic epidemiology (Ophthalmic Epidemiol) Vol. 19 Issue 2 Pg. 111-5 (Apr 2012) ISSN: 1744-5086 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22364672 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Topics

• Acanthamoeba (isolation & purification)
• Acanthamoeba Keratitis (epidemiology)
• Animals
• Contact Lenses (parasitology)
• Eye Infections, Parasitic (epidemiology)
• Humans
• Incidence
• India (epidemiology)
• Longitudinal Studies
• Retrospective Studies
• Risk Factors
• Rural Population (statistics & numerical data)