Epidemiology of Fungal Keratitis in North Vietnam

Abstract

The epidemiological characteristics and the causative agents of fungal keratitis at the National Ophthalmology\rhospital, the biggest eye care hospital in North Vietnam were described by using questionnaire and analyzing of ITS\rregion sequences. In 2008, 687 fungal keratitis patients were diagnosed and 363 fungal strains were isolated from\rthese patients. The predominant fungal species isolated was Fusarium spp. (39.6%), followed by Aspergillus spp.\r(25.9%). No yeast species was isolated. A large proportion of the patients was in the middle decades of life (41-60\ryears; 51.8%) and worked as farmers in rice fields. Corneal ulceration most often occurred after a superficial corneal\rinjury with organic materials. Medical treatment, especially antibiotic use, were started on 551 (80.1%) of the 687\rpatients. The study findings have important public health implications for treatment and prevention of fungal keratitis\rin Vietnam.