Chronic Alcoholism and Microbial Keratitis

Overview

Journal Br J Ophthalmol

Specialty Ophthalmology

Date 1988 Feb 1

PMID 3349017

Citations 4

Authors

L D Ormerod

D S Gomez

D J Schanzlin

R E Smith

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In a series of 227 consecutive, non-referred patients with microbial keratitis an analysis of the accumulated hospital records showed that one-third were associated with chronic alcoholism. The diagnosis of alcoholism was usually unsuspected on admission to hospital. The microbial pathogenesis in these patients was distinctive; coagulase-negative staphylococci, alpha- and beta-streptococci, moraxellae, enteric Gram-negative bacilli, and polymicrobial infections were unusually prominent. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was uncommon. Trauma, exposure, bullous keratopathy, other external ocular diseases, and self-neglect were the major recognised predisposing causes. The nutritional, toxic and immunological sequelae of alcoholism may also have been contributory. Ophthalmologists should be alert to the diagnosis of chronic alcoholism in their patients. Chronic alcoholism may be an important and underrated risk factor for microbial keratitis.

Citing Articles

Analysis of microRNAs and the microRNA-messengerRNA regulatory network in chronic alcohol exposure.

Du A, Chen Y, Qiao S, Dong J, Li Y, Cao B Front Pharmacol. 2024; 15:1377501.

PMID: 39234114 PMC: 11371712. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1377501.

Sequential endogenous endophthalmitis, fungal keratitis, bacteremia and vertebral osteomyelitis in a person who injects drugs.

Lewis C, Zegans M, Batra N, Jordan K Am J Ophthalmol Case Rep. 2021; 23:101140.

PMID: 34195475 PMC: 8233189. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajoc.2021.101140.

Sclerokeratouveitis and lens dislocation in a patient with genital ulcer: was the great imitator imitated?.

Rathi A, Takkar B, Sharma N BMJ Case Rep. 2017; 2017.

PMID: 28978606 PMC: 5652860. DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2017-221668.

Therapeutic intervention with chicken egg white ovomacroglobulin and a new quinolone on experimental Pseudomonas keratitis.

Miyagawa S, Kamata R, Matsumoto K, Okamura R, Maeda H Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 1994; 232(8):488-93.

PMID: 7926884 DOI: 10.1007/BF00195359.

References

Westermeyer J, Doheny S, Stone B . An assessment of hospital care for the alcoholic patient. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1978; 2(1):53-7. DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1978.tb04694.x. View

Jones D . Initial therapy of suspected microbial corneal ulcers. II. Specific antibiotic therapy based on corneal smears. Surv Ophthalmol. 1979; 24(2):97, 105-16. DOI: 10.1016/0039-6257(79)90128-0. View

Keller M, EFRON V . Alcoholism in the big cities of the United States. Q J Stud Alcohol. 1956; 17(1):63-72. View

Mahajan V, Reddy T, AGARWAL L . Toxigenic strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis and their experimental corneal pathogenicity in rabbits. Int Ophthalmol. 1982; 5(3):155-61. DOI: 10.1007/BF00149145. View

Barchha R, Stewart M, Guze S . The prevalence of alcoholism among general hospital ward patients. Am J Psychiatry. 1968; 125(5):681-4. DOI: 10.1176/ajp.125.5.681. View

Liesegang T, Forster R . Spectrum of microbial keratitis in South Florida. Am J Ophthalmol. 1980; 90(1):38-47. DOI: 10.1016/s0002-9394(14)75075-5. View

Stern G . Moraxella corneal ulcers: poor response to medical treatment. Ann Ophthalmol. 1982; 14(3):295-8. View

Jones D . Early diagnosis and therapy of bacterial corneal ulcers. Int Ophthalmol Clin. 1973; 13(4):1-29. View

Chick J, Lloyd G, Crombie E . Counselling problem drinkers in medical wards: a controlled study. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1985; 290(6473):965-7. PMC: 1418284. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.290.6473.965. View

10.

ADAMS H, Jordan C . Infections in the alcoholic. Med Clin North Am. 1984; 68(1):179-200. DOI: 10.1016/s0025-7125(16)31249-4. View

11.

Solomon J, Vanga N, Morgan J, Joseph P . Emergency-room physicians': recognition of alcohol misuse. J Stud Alcohol. 1980; 41(5):583-6. DOI: 10.15288/jsa.1980.41.583. View

12.

GERMAN E . Medical problems in chronic alcoholic men. J Chronic Dis. 1973; 26(10):661-8. DOI: 10.1016/0021-9681(73)90055-6. View

13.

Baum J, Fedukowicz H, Jordan A . A survey of Moraxella corneal ulcers in a derelict population. Am J Ophthalmol. 1980; 90(4):476-80. DOI: 10.1016/s0002-9394(14)75014-7. View

14.

Gomberg E . Prevalence of alcoholism among ward patients in a veterans administration hospital. J Stud Alcohol. 1975; 36(11):1458-67. DOI: 10.15288/jsa.1975.36.1458. View

15.

Lockhart S, Carter Y, Straffen A, Pang K, McLoughlin J, Baron J . Detecting alcohol consumption as a cause of emergency general medical admissions. J R Soc Med. 1986; 79(3):132-6. PMC: 1290229. DOI: 10.1177/014107688607900303. View

16.

Ashley M, Olin J, le Riche W, Kornaczewski A, Schmidt W, Rankin J . Skid row alcoholism. A distinct sociomedical entity. Arch Intern Med. 1976; 136(3):272-8. View

17.

Wilkinson P, Kornaczewski A, Rankin J, Santamaria J . Physical disease in alcoholism. Initial survey of 1,000 patients. Med J Aust. 1971; 1(23):1217-23. View

18.

FEDUKOWICZ H, HORWICH H . The Gram-negative diplobacillus in hypopyon keratitis. AMA Arch Ophthalmol. 1953; 49(2):202-11. DOI: 10.1001/archopht.1953.00920020207010. View

19.

Moore R . The prevalence of alcoholism in a community general hospital. Am J Psychiatry. 1971; 128(5):638-9. DOI: 10.1176/ajp.128.5.638. View

20.

Lloyd G, Chick J, Crombie E . Screening for problem drinkers among medical inpatients. Drug Alcohol Depend. 1982; 10(4):355-9. DOI: 10.1016/0376-8716(82)90037-0. View