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Eye Contact Lens 2019 Feb 1. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (J.I.A., A.S., and R.R.S.), Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Eye Institute, Cleveland, OH; Skyvision Centers (D.E.W.), Westlake, OH; and Division of Cornea and Refractive Surgery (N.A.A.), Shiley Eye Institute, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA.

Purpose: To help clinicians diagnose and manage unilateral recalcitrant chronic bacterial conjunctivitis secondary to a retained soft contact lens and describe the first report of Gram-negative bacteria causing this condition.

Methods: Chart review of successive cases presenting with unilateral chronic conjunctivitis with positive cultures and a retained contact lens.

Results: Three cases were identified and described. Read More

J Ocul Pharmacol Ther 2019 Jan/Feb;35(1):76

J Ethnopharmacol 2019 Jan 24. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Dept. of Applied Chemistry, Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, Nigeria; National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Ackee plant (Blighia sapida K. D. Koenig) (Sapindaceae) is used in Sub-Saharan African where it has its origin and in different parts of the world (The Caribbean, North and South America, Europe) traditionally to manage numerous ailments like backache, constipation, cancer, fever in young children, gonorrhea, dysentery, psychosis, hernia, stomach ache, malaria, rheumatism, typhoid and several others. Read More

Curr Eye Res 2019 Jan 11:1-8. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

b SPP School of Pharmacy and Technology Management , NMIMS University , Mumbai , India.

Purpose: A major challenge in ocular therapeutics is poor bioavailability of drug, 1% or even less of the instilled dose is absorbed and frequent administration of conventional products leads to poor adherence to therapy. Hence, the present study is to synthesize N-trimethyl chitosan (TMC), a water-soluble chitosan derivative and to prepare flurbiprofen (FLU):hydroxyl propyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) complex-loaded nanoparticles for treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis which aims to increase the residence time in ocular tissue, thus enhancing patient compliance and improved efficacy.

Methods: TMC was synthesized and characterized by H NMR and FT-IR. Read More

J Immunother Cancer 2018 Dec 27;6(1):156. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

Department of Medicine, Division of Immunology and Allergy, Lausanne University Hospital CHUV, rue du Bugnon 46, CH-1011, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Background: The prevalence of esophageal stenosis caused by immune checkpoint inhibitors in the context of induced immune mucositis and esophagitis is extremely rare.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a patient with stage IV pulmonary adenocarcinoma treated for 6 months with nivolumab who developed bilateral sterile conjunctivitis followed by oropharyngeal mucositis and esophagitis complicated by a severe esophageal stenosis. The laryngeal margin and hypopharyngeal mucosa appeared highly inflammatory with fibrinous deposits. Read More

Klin Monbl Augenheilkd 2019 Jan 19;236(1):54-62. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

Klinik und Poliklinik für Allgemeine Augenheilkunde, Uniklinik Köln, Köln.

Background: A smooth supply with a visually appealing prosthetic eye after enucleation is not just a cosmetic solution, it is also a key factor in successful social and psychological rehabilitation.

Objectives: This article provides an overview of the current state of medical and ocular care regarding prosthetic eyes in Germany. It focuses mainly on the newest clinical results, daily care, complications, and psychological aspects of wearing prosthetic eyes. Read More

J Curr Ophthalmol 2018 Dec 10;30(4):348-352. Epub 2018 Apr 10.

Department of Microbiology, Kayseri Training and Education Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the aerobic conjunctival flora of neonates and the effects of delivery type on conjunctival flora development in neonates who were born with normal spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD) or elective caesarean section (C/S) and who were not given prophylactic antibiotic eye drops after birth.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 95 healthy newborns. One day after the delivery, conjunctival samples were taken from newborns who were born with normal SVD or elective C/S, and not given prophylactic antibiotic eye drops after birth. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 12 14;12(12):e0007027. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Clinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.

Background: Validation of elimination of trachoma as a public health problem is based on clinical indicators, using the WHO simplified grading system. Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infection and anti-Ct antibody responses (anti-Pgp3) have both been evaluated as alternative indicators in settings with varying levels of trachoma. There is a need to evaluate the feasibility of using tests for Ct infection and anti-Pgp3 antibodies at scale in a trachoma-endemic country and to establish the added value of the data generated for understanding transmission dynamics in the peri-elimination setting. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Dec;97(49):e13508

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Rationale: For the treatment of primary canaliculitis, 1,2,3-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage are commonly used; however, a recurrence rate of 6.6% to 22% has been reported. Herein, we describe a case of recurrent primary canaliculitis that was completely cured by 4-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage. Read More

Interdiscip Perspect Infect Dis 2018 13;2018:2525173. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA.

is a gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic pathogen that can cause severe infections such as pneumonia, meningitis, septicemia, and middle ear infections. It is also one of the top pathogens contributing to bacterial keratitis and conjunctivitis. Though two pneumococcal vaccines exist for the prevention of nonocular diseases, they do little to fully prevent ocular infections. Read More

Am J Ophthalmol Case Rep 2019 Mar 14;13:6-8. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9WL, UK.

Purpose: Although and are the commonest sexually transmitted infections in England, reports of ocular co-infection in the literature are limited. We report such a case which responded well to treatment, and discuss the literature and evidence currently available with regards to management of these cases.

Observations: The patient is a 48-year-old bisexual gentleman who presented to the eye clinic of a UK hospital with redness, discharge and blurred vision in his left eye for one week. Read More

Top Companion Anim Med 2018 Dec 10;33(4):119-121. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), 25124 Brescia, Italy.

Mycobacterium genavense infection was diagnosed in an adult ferret with ptosis of the left eye, a proliferative lesion of the conjunctiva of the nictitating membrane, conjunctival swelling, and tumefaction of the periorbital tissues with a watery ocular discharge and the presence of a retrobulbar mass. The diagnosis was based on characteristic cytology of the retrobulbar mass and left mandibular lymph node that revealed granulomatous inflammation. Ziehl-Neelsen staining showed the presence of positive acid-fast bacilli in the cytoplasm of the macrophages. Read More

N Z Med J 2018 Nov 30;131(1486):9-17. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Ophthalmologist, Clinical Senior Lecturer, Ophthalmology Department, Department of Medicine, Hauora Tairawhiti, University of Otago, Gisborne.

Aims: To assess the incidence of chlamydial and gonorrhoeal neonatal conjunctivitis (CON and GON), across six district health boards in the greater Midland region of New Zealand.

Methods: All positive nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) eye swabs for Chlamydia trachomatis and NAAT and bacterial eye swabs for Neisseria gonorrhoeae in infants under one year of age were retrieved from three laboratories from 2013-2016. Incidence density rates were calculated using births information from Statistics New Zealand. Read More

Eye Contact Lens 2018 Nov 22. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Visual Sciences, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

This study is a retrospectively recruited case series. We report three infants with acute conjunctivitis induced by β-lactamase-positive, ampicillin/clavulanic acid-resistant strains of Haemophilus influenzae (BLPACR). Patients with BLPACR-positive cultures were recruited from among 5,107 patients with inflammatory diseases of the ocular surface who underwent examinations, including bacterial culturing of conjunctival sac or corneal scrapings, between 2000 and 2015. Read More

Acad Emerg Med 2018 Nov 12. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA.

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 11 12;12(11):e0006950. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America.

Background: Mass azithromycin distribution reduces under-5 child mortality. Trachoma control programs currently treat infants aged 6 months and older. Here, we report findings from an infant adverse event survey in 1-5 month olds who received azithromycin as part of a large community-randomized trial in Niger. Read More

Niger J Clin Pract 2018 Nov;21(11):1514-1519

Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.

Background: Cataract, glaucoma, and conjunctivitis are common causes of ocular morbidity in Nigeria. A major obstacle in reducing the burden of ocular morbidity in rural areas is access to eye care services. Up to 80% of the population in developing countries use traditional medications for their primary healthcare needs because they are accessible, available, and affordable. Read More

Med Sci Monit 2018 Nov 10;24:8042-8047. Epub 2018 Nov 10.

Psychiatric Hospital "Sveti Ivan", Zagreb, Croatia.

BACKGROUND Ophthalmia neonatorum, or neonatal conjunctivitis, is an acute infection that occurs within the first 28 days of life. This aim of this survey was to evaluate the current methods of preventive treatment for ophthalmia neonatorum in maternity hospitals in Croatia. MATERIAL AND METHODS The annual hospital birth rate in Croatia is approximately 40,000. Read More

N Engl J Med 2018 Nov;379(18):e31

Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia

J Vet Med Sci 2018 Dec 29;80(12):1914-1917. Epub 2018 Oct 29.

College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea.

Although Moraxella lacunata causes conjunctivitis, keratitis, endocarditis, and otolaryngitis in humans, its infection is rare in animals. We report three cases of asymptomatic pulmonary abscesses caused by M. lacunata in zoo herbivores, including two elks (Cervus canadensis) and a common eland (Taurotragus oryx). Read More

Zhonghua Yan Ke Za Zhi 2018 Oct;54(10):767-774

Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Beijing 100005, China.

To study the relationship between genetic typing and the antibiotic susceptibility of () isolated from keratitis or conjunctivitis patients. Experimental study. Thirty-four (34) strains of were isolated from 34 cases of keratitis or conjunctivitis. Read More

PLoS One 2018 18;13(10):e0205814. Epub 2018 Oct 18.

Bausch + Lomb, Rochester, New York, United States of America.

The Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring in Ocular Microorganisms (ARMOR) surveillance study evaluates in vitro antibiotic resistance among Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Haemophilus influenzae isolates from ocular infections. Here we report resistance rates and trends among conjunctival-sourced ocular isolates collected across the US from 2009 through 2016. A total of 1198 conjunctival isolates (483 S. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Oct 12;2018. Epub 2018 Oct 12.

Department of Ophthalmology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.

A 38-year-old woman presented to casualty with bilateral red eyes associated with a recent upper respiratory tract infection. This was initially diagnosed as conjunctivitis, however systemic review revealed an erythematous facial and skin rash, mildly swollen lips and mild swallowing difficulties. The patient was referred for an urgent medical assessment, by which time she was found to have erythema affecting 54% of her body surface area and diagnosed with suspected toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Oct 12;2018. Epub 2018 Oct 12.

Cornea and External Diseases Department, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Giant fornix syndrome (GFS) was first described as a cause for a relapsing mucopurulent conjunctivitis. Predominantly elderly patients have enlarged superior fornices from superior aponeurosis dehiscence that permits the accumulation of protein coagulum that is colonised by bacteria. Established treatment includes the use of intensive topical antibiotic and corticosteroid. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 10 8;12(10):e0006478. Epub 2018 Oct 8.

F.I. Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States of America.

Background: In many infectious diseases, a core group of individuals plays a disproportionate role in transmission. If these individuals were effectively prevented from transmitting infection, for example with a perfect vaccine, then the disease would disappear in the remainder of the community. No vaccine has yet proven effective against the ocular strains of chlamydia that cause trachoma. Read More

Arch Soc Esp Oftalmol 2019 Jan 27;94(1):4-11. Epub 2018 Sep 27.

Centro Oftalmológico Virgilio Galvis, Floridablanca, Colombia.

Background And Objective: In view of the increasing bacterial resistance to antibiotics, it is necessary to determine it locally in order to serve as a guide in clinical management. The purpose of this study was to characterise the pattern of antibiotic sensitivity in cases of eye infections in a third level ophthalmological institution in Floridablanca (Colombia).

Materials And Methods: An observational cross-sectional study in which an analysis was made of the culture and antibiogram reports of specimens taken from cases of conjunctivitis, infectious keratitis, and endophthalmitis between January 2013 and June 2016. Read More

Top Companion Anim Med 2018 Jun 29;33(2):45-48. Epub 2018 May 29.

Center for Companion Animal Studies in the Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80524, USA. Electronic address:

Signs of ocular infections like discharge and conjunctivitis occur commonly in cats in shelters and feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV-1), Chlamydia felis, Mycoplasma spp, and feline calicivirus (FCV) are thought to be the most common causes. While molecular assays are available to amplify nucleic acids of each of these agents as single tests or in panels, additional information is needed concerning whether the assay results can be used to predict response to treatment. The objectives of this study were to report results for conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays that amplify nucleic acids of FHV-1, Mycoplasma spp. Read More

Pak J Pharm Sci 2018 Jul;31(4(Special)):1757-1760

Department of Ophthalmology, Jining No.1 People's Hospital, Jining, Shandong, China.

Acute bacterial conjunctivitis is an acute conjunctivitis that is frequently transmitted in summer and autumn. It is a common and frequently occurring disease in ophthalmology clinic. Gatifloxacin is an effective antibacterial drug. Read More

PLoS One 2018 7;13(9):e0203705. Epub 2018 Sep 7.

Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.

Objective: To retrospectively identify epidemiological trends of infection on the ocular surface and investigate trends of resistance to bacterial antibiotics compared with 10-years previous for Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), and Corynebacterium in Japan.

Materials And Methods: Bacterial isolate samples were collected from the conjunctival sacs of eyes afflicted with conjunctivitis, keratitis, dacryocystitis, and hordeolum from September 2004 through November 2005 (n = 145 isolates) and September 2014 through November 2015 (n = 195 isolates) at the Baptist Eye Institute, Kyoto, Japan. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. Read More

BMC Vet Res 2018 Aug 31;14(1):261. Epub 2018 Aug 31.

Department of Internal Medicine and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, pl. Grunwaldzki 47, 50-366, Wroclaw, Poland.

Background: Commensal bacterial and fungal flora of the conjunctival sac has been described in horses and other animals. The identification of commensal flora of the conjunctival sac may aid in the diagnosis of ocular inflammatory diseases, such as conjunctivitis or more severe ulcerative keratitis, common in horses. Moreover, damage of ocular protective barriers may lead to an opportunistic infection. Read More

PLoS One 2018 29;13(8):e0201911. Epub 2018 Aug 29.

Health Education Unit, Education Department, Eugenio María de Hostos Community College, The City University of New York, New York, NY, United States.

Introduction: We investigated the impact of two round of mass drug administration on trachoma prevalence in Plateau and Nasarawa States of Nigeria. The mass drug administration was conducted as a component of the SAFE Strategy, a combination of interventions recommended for the global elimination of blinding trachoma.

Methods: The study consisted of a two-stage cross-sectional clustered sample survey in which 3990 people from 793 households were screened for clinical signs of trachoma. Read More

Eye Contact Lens 2018 09;44 Suppl 1:S373-S374

Second Department of Ophthalmology (A.M., E.P., V.T., and E.M.), Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology (S.K. and A.-B.H.), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece; and First Department of Ophthalmology (N.Z.), Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.

J Med Case Rep 2018 Aug 20;12(1):242. Epub 2018 Aug 20.

Department of Pediatrics and Medicine, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington DC, 20007, USA.

Background: Laryngectomees run the risk of developing severe respiratory tract infections especially during the winter and when they do not wear a stoma cover. A case of severe tracheobronchitis in a laryngectomee is presented that illustrates the risks and difficulties encountered in managing this infection in a neck breather.

Case Presentation: A 76-year-old Caucasian man, a laryngectomee, presented with bacterial tracheobronchitis and conjunctivitis due to beta-lactamase-producing nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. Read More

BMC Res Notes 2018 Aug 17;11(1):597. Epub 2018 Aug 17.

Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.

Objectives: Empirical selections of antimicrobial therapy based on clinical observations are common clinical practices in Ethiopia. This study identified common external ocular infections and determined antibiotic susceptibility testing in northwest Ethiopia.

Results: Among 210 patients studied, conjunctivitis 32. Read More

Sports Health 2018 Aug 14:1941738118789954. Epub 2018 Aug 14.

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Context: Infections are common in contact sports. This review aims to describe the epidemiology, presenting signs and symptoms, treatment guidelines, and regulations for several common infections seen in contact sport athletes. The conditions discussed include bacterial skin infections, herpes simplex virus, molluscum contagiosum, common warts, tinea, scabies, head lice, conjunctivitis, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, and vaccine-preventable illnesses. Read More

BMC Ophthalmol 2018 Aug 6;18(1):193. Epub 2018 Aug 6.

Social and Adminstrative Pharmacy Working Group, Departement of Pharmaceutics and Social Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: Mass drug administration with antibiotics predominantly with azithromycin is one of the four arms of the SAFE strategy. The elimination of ocular chlamydial infection is only achieved as long as the azithromycin mass treatments (AMT) are given frequently enough and at a high enough coverage. This study was conducted to assess the coverage of azithromycin mass treatment and its determinants in Awi Zone, Northwestern Ethiopia. Read More

Vet Microbiol 2018 Aug 13;222:1-6. Epub 2018 Jun 13.

Institute of Microbiology and Epizootics, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Advanced Light and Electron Microscopy, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address:

Severe infections due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been increasingly recognized in virtually all fields of veterinary medicine. Our objective was to study the occurrence, phylogenetic relationships and antimicrobial resistance properties of MRSA isolated from ocular surfaces of horses prior to invasive procedures. Within a 49-week sampling period, ocular swabs obtained from 46 eyes of 44 horses, including eyes with clinical signs of conjunctivitis/blepharitis, keratitis or uveitis were screened for the presence of S. Read More

J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 2018 Aug;7(3):e107-e115

Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Background: With the continued high prevalence of chlamydia worldwide and high risk of transfer from mothers to their infant during delivery, a need for safe and effective therapies for infants who acquire a chlamydial infection remains. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of antibiotic treatments, including oral erythromycin, azithromycin, and trimethoprim, for neonatal chlamydial conjunctivitis.

Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) from their inception to July 14, 2017. Read More

Cornea 2018 Nov;37(11):1395-1399

Department of Ophthalmology, Cincinnati Eye Institute, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.

Purpose: To describe the rate, clinical/microbiological characteristics, and outcomes of infectious keratitis in eyes with limbal stem cell deficiency after ocular surface stem cell transplantation (OSST).

Methods: In this retrospective chart review of 278 eyes that underwent OSST between January 2006 and December 2016, eyes treated for previous infectious keratitis (bacterial, fungal, or viral) were included. Demographics, risk factors, course, microbiological characteristics, and outcomes were assessed. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Jul 6;2018. Epub 2018 Jul 6.

Internal Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA.

A 28-year-old man presented to our clinic over the course of 3 weeks with symptoms that progressed from mild headaches to fever, fatigue, myalgia and an enlarged right preauricular lymph node with ipsilateral conjunctivitis and upper eyelid weakness. Our differential included Epstein Barr Virus/Cytomegalovirus mononucleosis, bacterial conjunctivitis and lymphoma. We evaluated with CBC, EBV IgM Ab, lactate dehydrogenase level and a CMV IgG Ab which were all within normal limits. Read More

Int J Pharm 2018 Sep 28;548(1):139-150. Epub 2018 Jun 28.

Shah-Schulman Center for Surface Science and Nanotechnology, Dharmsinh Desai University, Nadiad 387001, India; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States; Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States; School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.

Currently, bacterial conjunctivitis is treated by frequent administration of antibiotic eye drop solutions, which is tedious and patient noncompliant. Contact lenses could be ideal medical devices to sustain the release of ophthalmic drugs, but the incorporation of the latter can alter the optical and physical properties of the lenses. In addition, many contact lens users have reported the pink eye syndrome, making them unsuitable as ocular medical devices. Read More

Avian Pathol 2018 Oct 20;47(5):526-530. Epub 2018 Jul 20.

b Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management , Iowa State University , USA.

House finches in much of the continental United States experience annual epidemics of mycoplasmal conjunctivitis, caused by the bacterial pathogen Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG). Although evidence suggests that natural infections typically begin unilaterally, experimental inoculations of songbirds with MG to date have all been administered bilaterally. Furthermore, studies of free-living finches find more severe clinical signs of mycoplasmal conjunctivitis in left versus right eyes, but the mechanisms underlying this side bias remain unknown. Read More

Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2018 Jun 23. Epub 2018 Jun 23.

New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.

House dust mites are an unsurpassed cause of atopic sensitization and allergic illness throughout the world. The major allergenic dust mites Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, Euroglyphus maynei, and Blomia tropicalis are eight-legged members of the Arachnid class. Their approximately 3-month lifespan comprises egg, larval, protonymph, tritonymph, and adult stages, with adults, about one fourth to one third of a millimeter in size, being at the threshold of visibility. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 06 13;12(6):e0006543. Epub 2018 Jun 13.

Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.

Background: As highly trachoma-endemic countries approach elimination, some districts will have prevalences of trachomatous inflammation-follicular in 1-9-year-olds (TF1-9) of 5.0-9.9%. Read More

Acta Ophthalmol 2018 Dec 9;96(8):789-794. Epub 2018 Jun 9.

Lysningen Research Center, Trekroner, Denmark.

Purpose: Acute infectious conjunctivitis is a common disease. While usually self-limiting, children often receive treatment to be accepted back into nursery, day care or school. We aimed to describe trends in the utilization of topical ocular antibiotics in young children aged 0-4 years in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Read More

BMC Microbiol 2018 05 30;18(1):45. Epub 2018 May 30.

Institute for Bacteriology and Mycology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 29, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.

Background: Mice are a natural host for Rodentibacter (R.) pneumotropicus. Despite specific monitoring, it is still one of the most important infectious agents in laboratory animals. Read More

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2018 05;59(6):2512-2519

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.

Purpose: Bacterial conjunctivitis is a major problem in ocular health. Little is known about protective immune effectors in the conjunctiva. We evaluated whether opsonic antibody to the conserved surface/capsular polysaccharide poly-N-acetyl glucosamine (PNAG) expressed by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus was protective against bacterial conjunctivitis, as well as an antibody to the Pseudomonas aeruginosa surface polysaccharide alginate. Read More

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2018 05;59(6):2339-2344

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess whether non-chlamydial bacterial infection is associated with progression of trachomatous scarring in adults.

Methods: This was a cohort study involving 800 participants in northern Tanzania who underwent clinical examination, photography, and conjunctival swab collection for microbiology over a 24-month period. Samples for microbiology were inoculated onto blood and chocolate agar, and Chlamydia trachomatis was detected by PCR. Read More

Arq Bras Oftalmol 2018 Apr;81(2):116-119

Ulucanlar Eye Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.

Purpose: To determine the clinical characteristics and seasonal distribution of patients admitted to the ocular emergency department of a tertiary ophthalmology care center.

Methods: The study cohort includes 27,120 patients who were admitted to ocular emergency room between November 2013 and November 2014. The age, sex, reason for admission, diagnosis, and complete ocular examination reports were recorded for each patient. Read More