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Bacterial co-infection can complicate fungal keratitis
Yeast keratitis can increase the risk of a bacterial co-infection more than threefold compared with filamentous fungal keratitis, according to a study.
Kirk R. Wilhelmus, MD, and colleagues looked at the propensity of keratomycosis for parallel or secondary bacterial infection and the relationship between fungal and bacterial co-isolates. They retrospectively reviewed laboratory records covering 24 years, and found 152 episodes of culture positive fungal keratitis.
The researchers found that 30 keratomycoses cases (20%) met laboratory requirements for polymicrobial infection. bacterial co-infection can “sometimes complicate fungal keratitis, especially candidiasis,” they said.
The study was published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.