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Microorganisms
Special Issues
Microbial Keratitis—Epidemiology, Pathogenesis and Therapy
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Microbial Keratitis—Epidemiology, Pathogenesis and Therapy

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2024) | Viewed by 2999

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ajay Kumar Vijay

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Interests: pseudomonas aeruginosa;anti bacterial agents;staphylococcus aureus;disinfectants;antimicrobial resistance;corneal diseases;multidrug resistant organism;silver

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microbial keratitis is a devastating disease that can lead to loss of vision and blindness. The cornea is regularly exposed to physical, chemical and biological perturbations. The cornea has a host of innate immune cells that respond to these challenges without triggering an overt immune response and helps maintain a clear optical surface. There are increasing reports of keratitis caused by rare and atypical microorganisms. It it important to explore the pathogenesis of keratitis of common and emerging pathogens, their epidemiology and therapeutic agents.

This research topic seeks to describe the recent advances in epidemiology of microbial keratitis, pathogenesis of the microbial keratitis particularly those caused by new and emerging pathogens, and advances in therapeutic agents for keratitis.

We welcome Original Research articles, Reviews, Mini-reviews, Systematic reviews, and Research Reports that can provide new insights into the epidemiology of microbial keratitis, the corneal immune response to microbial infections and antimicrobial agents for treating microbial keratitis

Dr. Ajay Kumar Vijay
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microbial keratitis
  • bacterial keratitis
  • fungal keratitis
  • viral keratitis
  • acanthamoeba keratitis
  • epidemiology
  • pathogenesis
  • animal models
  • therapeutic agents
  • antimicrobial compounds

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 3057 KiB  
Article
Bacterial and Fungal Keratitis in a Tertiary Care Hospital from Romania
by Andrei Theodor Bălășoiu, Maria Bălășoiu, Ovidiu Mircea Zlatian and Alice Elena Ghenea
Microorganisms 2024, 12(4), 787; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12040787 - 12 Apr 2024
Viewed by 675
Abstract
Infectious keratitis is a significant global problem that can lead to corneal blindness and visual impairments. This study aimed to investigate the etiology of infectious bacterial and fungal keratitis, identify the causative pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance patterns, and analyze the risk factors [...] Read more.
Infectious keratitis is a significant global problem that can lead to corneal blindness and visual impairments. This study aimed to investigate the etiology of infectious bacterial and fungal keratitis, identify the causative pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance patterns, and analyze the risk factors associated with the development of infectious keratitis. The study was observational and retrospective, involving 226 eyes from 223 patients presented at the Ophthalmology Clinic of the County Clinical Emergency Hospital of Craiova, Romania. The inclusion criteria included corneal ulceration/abscess/infiltrate present on slit-lamp examination and positive microbiological sampling for bacteria or fungi. The study found that the most common causes of infectious keratitis were coagulase-negative staphylococci (35.40%), Staphylococcus aureus (11.06%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14.16%). The Gram-positive bacteria showed high resistance rates to penicillin, moderate rates to gentamycin and clindamycin, and low resistance to chinolones. The Gram-negative bacteria were highly resistant to ampicillin and amoxicillin–clavulanic acid, while third-generation cephalosporins, quinolones, and carbapenems were effective. Systemic antibiotics, such as vancomycine, piperacillin–tazobactam, amikacin, and ceftazidime, show promise against keratitis with low resistance rates, whereas carbapenems and topical aminoglycosides had higher resistance, leaving moxifloxacin as a potential topical option for Gram-positive bacteria and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, albeit with resistance concerns for Klebsiella spp. Although fungal keratitis was rare, Fusarium spp. and Candida albicans were the leading fungal pathogens, with incidences of 2.65% and 2.21%, respectively. Candida albicans was broadly susceptible to most antifungals, while Fusarium solani, Curvularia lunata, and Alternaria alternata exhibited resistance to many antifungals. Amphotericin B and caspofungin can be used as systemic antifungals in fungal keratitis. The study also identified risk factors for keratitis such as ocular trauma (65.92%, OR: 2.5), contact lens wear (11.94%, OR: 1.8), and corneal scarring/leukoma (10.17%, OR: 1.6). Keratitis was more frequent in individuals over 60 years old. The findings of this study have implications for the development of effective diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive strategies for infectious keratitis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Keratitis—Epidemiology, Pathogenesis and Therapy)
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10 pages, 646 KiB  
Article
Impact of Latent Virus Infection in the Cornea on Corneal Healing after Small Incision Lenticule Extraction
by Ming Liu, Wenting Song, Wen Gao, Lili Jiang, Hongbiao Pan, Dan Luo and Lei Shi
Microorganisms 2023, 11(10), 2441; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11102441 - 28 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1089
Abstract
The aim of the present study is to analyze the impact of cornea virus latent infection on corneal healing after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and predict the positive rate of virus latent infection in corneal stroma. A total of 279 patients who [...] Read more.
The aim of the present study is to analyze the impact of cornea virus latent infection on corneal healing after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and predict the positive rate of virus latent infection in corneal stroma. A total of 279 patients who underwent SMILE were included in this study. Fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect virus infection in the lenticules, which were taken from the corneal stroma during SMILE. Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV) were detected. Postoperative visual acuity, spherical equivalent, intraocular pressure, corneal curvature (Kf and Ks), corneal transparency, and corneal staining were compared between the virus-positive group and the virus-negative group. The number of corneal stromal cells and inflammatory cells, corneal nerve fiber density (CNFD), corneal nerve branch density (CNBD), corneal nerve fiber length (CNFL), corneal total branch density (CTBD), and corneal nerve fiber width (CNFW) were evaluated using an in vivo confocal microscope. Out of 240 herpes simplex virus (HSV) tested samples, 11 (4.58%) were positive, among which 5 (2.08%) were HSV-1-positive and 6 (2.50%) were HSV-2-positive. None of the 91 CMV- and EBV-tested samples were positive. There was no statistical significance in the postoperative visual acuity, spherical equivalent, intraocular pressure, Kf and Ks, corneal transparency, corneal staining, the number of corneal stromal cells and inflammatory cells, CNFD, CNBD, CNFL, CTBD, and CNFW between the virus-positive and virus-negative groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, there is a certain proportion of latent HSV infection in the myopia population. Femtosecond lasers are less likely to activate a latent infection of HSV in the cornea. The latent infection of HSV has no significant impact on corneal healing after SMILE. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Keratitis—Epidemiology, Pathogenesis and Therapy)
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Review

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21 pages, 1659 KiB  
Review
Understanding Acanthamoeba Keratitis: An In-Depth Review of a Sight-Threatening Eye Infection
by Francesco Petrillo, Antonia Tortori, Veronica Vallino, Marilena Galdiero, Antonio M. Fea, Ugo De Sanctis and Michele Reibaldi
Microorganisms 2024, 12(4), 758; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12040758 - 9 Apr 2024
Viewed by 816
Abstract
Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a rare but potentially sight-threatening corneal infection caused by the Acanthamoeba parasite. This microorganism is found ubiquitously in the environment, often in freshwater, soil, and other sources of moisture. Despite its low incidence, AK presents significant challenges due to [...] Read more.
Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a rare but potentially sight-threatening corneal infection caused by the Acanthamoeba parasite. This microorganism is found ubiquitously in the environment, often in freshwater, soil, and other sources of moisture. Despite its low incidence, AK presents significant challenges due to delayed diagnosis and the complex nature of therapeutic management. Early recognition is crucial to prevent severe ocular complications, including corneal ulceration and vision loss. Diagnostic modalities and treatment strategies may vary greatly depending on the clinical manifestation and the available tools. With the growing reported cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis, it is essential for the ophthalmic community to thoroughly understand this condition for its effective management and improved outcomes. This review provides a comprehensive overview of AK, encompassing its epidemiology, risk factors, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Keratitis—Epidemiology, Pathogenesis and Therapy)
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