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Eosinophilic cells linked to latent infections in chronic allergic conjunctivitis cases

Cornea. 2009;28(8):839-842.

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Nearly 40% of eyes with chronic allergic conjunctivitis had latent concurrent infection, which was linked to the number of eosinophilic cells present, a study found.

"The incidence of concurrent infection (mainly bacterial infection) strongly correlated with the percent of eosinophilic cells. Concurrent bacterial infection was identified in 26 of 26 cases of the subgroup with the highest percent of eosinophilic cells," the authors said.

The prospective nonrandomized study looked at 472 eyes of 236 patients who had a history of allergic conjunctivitis without infection. Researchers conducted conjunctival scrapings, analyzing for antibiograms and antimicrograms. Follow-up was 5 years.

Eyes in the study were divided into five groups, according to the number of eosinophilic cells found in the subjects' conjunctival specimens.

The study found that 37% of patients had latent concurrent infection of the following types: Candida albicans (55.2%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (50.9%), Chlamydia trachomatis (30.7%) and Staphylococcus aureus (23%).