Severe corneal abscess: epidemiology and clinicobacteriological aspect.

Aim: To assess epidemiological, clinical and microbiological characteristics of patients presenting with a clinically diagnosed severe corneal abscess at the Farhat Hached Hospital Department of Ophthalmology (Sousse).

Methods: A retrospective, descriptive and anlalytic study of patients presenting severe corneal abscess was conducted over 5 years, from january 1st of 2013 to septembre 3Oth of 2017. The epidemiological, clinical and microbiological aspects, were analyzed.

Results: one hundred and one of of 100 patients were presented severe corneal abscess. The mean age was 54,1 ans years old. The mean delay for referral was 15,5days. The most frequent Risk factor was chronic keratopathy noted in 59% ofcases. Corneal trauma was noted in (30%) and use of contact lenses in (12%).Visual acuity was less than 1/10 in 72% of the patients. Bacteriological cultures isolated an organism in 39.9 % of cases. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (23,3%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16,7%), streptococcus (13,3%) were the most frequent species that have been found.

Conclusion: A good preliminary analysis of the risk factors, the mode of infection, and the appropriate search for the incriminated germs, allow secondarily an adequate management of the severe corneal abscesses.