Clinical presentations, microbiology and management outcomes of culture-proven endogenous endophthalmitis in India

PURPOSE: To report the clinical presentation, microbiology, and management outcome of endogenous endophthalmitis in Indian patients. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of culture-positive (vitreous/urine/blood) endogenous endophthalmitis cases treated in tertiary eye care facility in India was done. RESULTS: The study included 173 eyes of 117 patients. Mean patient age was 25.41 ± 20.46 years (median 24 years). Pre-disposing systemic illness could not be elicited in 79 (67.63%) patients. Commonest predisposing systemic condition in patients where it could be detected (n = 79) was pyrexia of unknown origin (25/79 = 32.0%). Following treatment, 45 out of 173 (26.0%) eyes regained vision of ≥20/400. Commonest isolated organism from vitreous was Streptococcus pneumoniae (36 eyes, 20.8%) and fungi were isolated in 24 (13.8%) eyes, the commonest being Candida spp. (8/24, 33.33%). Favorable functional outcome was seen in 26% eyes and favorable anatomic outcome in 43% eyes. Those with an underlying systemic illness were older (P = 0.02), had greater urine culture positivity (P = 0.003), lesser vitreous culture positivity (0.001), greater gram negative etiology (P = 0.0006), and greater fungal etiology (P = 0.01) as compared to those cases without underlying systemic illness. CONCLUSION: Endogenous endophthalmitis in India often presents in young immunocompetent individuals without any underlying systemic illness and with negative blood or urine microbiologic work up. Underlying systemic illness leads to greater gram-negative and fungal etiology. Overall visual outcome is poor inspite of prompt management.