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Correlation seen among demodicosis, MGD, keratitis in young patients
A study found a significant correlation between meibomian gland dysfunction and keratitis in young patients with ocular demodicosis especially inflicted by Demodex brevis.
Demodicosis is associated with several external eye diseases. While Demodex folliculorum infests the lash follicle, D. brevis infests the lash’s sebaceous gland and the meibomian gland.
The purpose of the study was to assess whether a correlation exists between demodicosis and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).
Sixty patients with a diagnosis of demodicosis participated in the study. Because both demodicosis and MGD are common in the elderly population, only patients younger than 35 years of age were included.
A strong correlation was found with MGD, which affected 90% of the patients. Severe MGD, presenting with more than one-third of gland loss, was significantly correlated with the presence of D. brevis.
“This finding is consistent with the notion that D. brevis resides in sebaceous and meibomian glands and has been found to be significantly correlated with chalazia,” the authors wrote.
A number of corneal changes were found in 65% of the patients, including vascularization, infiltration, opacity, nodular corneal scar, superficial punctate keratitis, ulceration and even perforation.
The authors, therefore, suggested that ocular demodicosis should be considered in young patients presenting with sight-threatening keratitis. They also suggested that nonresponse to antiviral, antimicrobial and steroid therapies and prompt response to mite-killing lid scrub will help differentiate Demodex-related keratitis form from herpes simplex keratitis. – by Michela Cimberle
Disclosure: The author reported no conflict of interest. Please see the study for the other author’s financial disclosures.