To describe the spectrum of bacterial and fungal pathogens in cases of endophthalmitis requiring evisceration and report their antimicrobial susceptibilities. Retrospective, consecutive, and descriptive case series of endophthalmitis that underwent evisceration from January 2004 to December 2017. Vitreous samples from all patients had been investigated for bacteria and fungus using institutional protocol. Bacterial isolates were identified using analytical profile index (API) system until 2010 and Vitek-2 compact system (bioMérieux, France), thereafter. The susceptibility of bacterial isolates to a variety of antibiotics was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disk-diffusion method. Of 791 cases reviewed, culture positivity was reported in 388 cases (48.92%). Commonest clinical setting of endophthalmitis necessitating evisceration was post-microbial keratitis (58%), followed by post-trauma and post-cataract surgery (14–15%). The commonest isolate was Streptococcus pneumoniae, seen in 68 samples overall (17.52%). One hundred and eighty-three isolates (47.16%) were gram-positive, 86 (22.16%) were gram-negative, and fungi constituted 137 (35.3%) isolates. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the commonest gram-positive bacterial isolate seen in 68/183 samples (37.15%). Among gram-negative organisms, the commonest was Pseudomonas aeruginosa seen in 47/86 (54.65%). Aspergillus spp. formed the commonest fungal isolate, 58/137 (42.33%). The susceptibility of the gram-positive bacteria was highest with vancomycin, 136/147 (92.51%) and for gram-negative bacteria was seen best with imipenem 24/29 (82.75%). Susceptibility to ceftazidime was 31/61 (50.81%) in 31/61. Endophthalmitis due to Pneumococci, Aspergillus, and Pseudomonas can be very fulminant and progress to require evisceration in spite of prompt and appropriate treatment.

Purpose: To test the antimicrobial properties of silicon oil (Aurosil 1000 cSt, Aurosil Plus 5000 cSt) on in vitro growth of common microorganisms causing endophthalmitis. Materials and methods: Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, multi-drug resistant (MDR) strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus flavus were prepared to 0.5 McFarland turbidity. The bacteria and fungi were inoculated into the silicone oils, brain heart infusion (BHI) broth for bacteria and Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) broth for fungi, respectively, and cultured aerobically for 30 days. From each sample, 10 μl was plated onto nutrient agar and potato dextrose agar (PDA) for testing growth of bacteria and fungi respectively. Cultures from specimens, overnight incubation, and CFU counting were repeated on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, 24, and 30. Negative controls were brain heart infusion and physiologic saline as well as silicone oils without any inoculations. Results: All bacteria showed a decrease in CFUs by the fifth day and eliminated between 21 and 30 days in silicone oil. The silicon oil, irrespective of its viscosity, had only fungistatic effect up to 30 days. Colony-forming units of microorganisms remained stable in physiologic saline during the study. In BHI and Sabouraud broth, both bacteria and fungi showed a growth pattern that was compatible with the growth curve of microorganisms. Conclusion: Medical-grade silicone oil used in ophthalmology exhibited in vitro bactericidal and fungistatic activity over 30 days. Insertion of silicone oil in vitrectomy for endophthalmitis, when required, could supplement the antimicrobial activities of intravitreal antibiotics in management of endophthalmitis.

To evaluate the clinical utility of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) approach-based analysis of the bacterial and fungal genome in vitreous fluids from patients clinically diagnosed as endophthalmitis, we subjected 75 vitreous fluids from clinically presumed infectious endophthalmitis patients to high-throughput sequencing (Illumina HiSeq 2500) after DNA extraction and amplification of the 16S rRNA for the detection of bacteria, and ITS 2 region for detection of fungal pathogens. As controls, we included vitreous biopsies from 70 patients diagnosed with other non-infectious retinal disorders. Following the construction of the curated microbial genome database and filtering steps to reduce ambiguousness/contaminants from the environment, the paired reads were analyzed. Our HTS reads revealed in almost all cases the same organism that was grown in culture (bacterial-14/15, fungal 3/3) by conventional microbiological workup. HTS additionally diagnosed the presence of microbes in 42/57 (73.7%) patients who were conventionally negative (fungal pathogens in 36/57, bacterial pathogens in 11/57, including five cases that showed the presence of both bacterial and fungal organisms). Aspergillus sp., Fusarium sp., Exserohilum sp., and Candida sp. were the most predominant genera in our cohort of culture-negative endophthalmitis cases. Heat map based microbial clustering analysis revealed that these organisms were taxonomically similar to the species identified by conventional culture methods. Interestingly, 4/70 control samples also showed the presence of bacterial reads, although their clinical significance is uncertain. HTS is useful in detecting pathogens in endophthalmitis cases that elude conventional attempts at diagnosis and can provide actionable information relevant to management, especially where there is a high index of suspicion of fungal endophthalmitis, particularly in tropical countries. Outcome analyses and clinical trials addressing the success and cost savings of HTS for the diagnosis of endophthalmitis are recommended.

Purpose: To describe clinical features, demographic profile and factors predicting outcome of endophthalmitis under care progressing to panophthalmitis at a tertiary eye institute. Setting: Retrospective consecutive case series. Methods: All cases diagnosed as endophthalmitis of any etiology and undergoing treatment which progressed to panophthalmitis from January 2005 to December 2015 were included. Case records of all patients coded as endophthalmitis and then panophthalmitis were included. Data were collected regarding the clinical features, demographic profile, and treatment outcomes of those cases. Results: This study included 33 eyes of 33 patients. The mean age at presentation was 42.33 ± 21.66 years (median 40, range 5–75). The commonest etiology of endophthalmitis progressing to panophthalmitis was noted following open globe injury endophthalmitis, seen in 13/33 (39.4%) of eyes followed by endophthalmitis associated with microbial keratitis seen in 8/33 (27.3%) eyes. The time interval in days between the diagnosis of endophthalmitis and progression to panophthalmitis was 4.5 ± 3.88 days (median 3 days, range 1–14 days). Fifteen eyes denied perception of light (PL) at the time of diagnosing panophthalmitis. Culture was positive in 16 cases (48.4%), Streptococcus pneumoniae was the commonest species (4 cases) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3 cases) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (2 cases). Nine cases (27.27%) were additionally given systemic steroids along with the systemic antibiotics. The odds ratio of a favorable outcome was significantly higher when systemic steroids with antibiotics were administered (OR = 80.5, 95% C.I. 6.311026, p = 0.007), when the patient was of a younger age group (< 40 years) (OR 1.53, 95% C.I. 0.37.87, p = 0.6), when the presenting vision at diagnosis was at least light perception (OR 9.8, 95% C.I. 1.03692.7, p = 0.04), when the smear showed Gram-positive cocci (OR 6.66, 95% C.I. 1.0940.43, p = 0.03), if there was culture positivity (OR 10.5, 95% C.I. 1.1198.9, p = 0.03) and when intravenous antibiotics were administered (OR 21.43, 95% C.I. 1.11411.7, p = 0.04). Conclusions: Risk of progression of endophthalmitis to panophthalmitis is there even under care. Close observation and keen clinical examination for cases that do not respond well is essential. Intravenous antibiotics and systemic steroids should be considered in all cases of endophthalmitis that progress to panophthalmitis.

Endogenous endophthalmitis (EE) is an uncommon but potentially devastating ocular infection involving the inner layers of the eye. The global incidence of EE is on the rise. Common ocular signs and symptoms associated with EE include conjunctival injection, ocular pain, and reduced visual acuity. On clinical examination, a history of prior or coexisting systemic infections, symptoms (e.g., fever, malaise), and localizing features may be noted. Clinical diagnosis is often challenging, resulting in critical delays that contribute to a poor prognosis. Blood cultures and ocular fluid samples can aid in conforming causative pathogen(s), after which empirical antibiotic therapy, both systemic and intravitreal, should be instated. The use of steroids to suppress inflammation remains controversial. Surgical options include pars plana vitrectomy. Overall prognosis varies depending on host and pathogen factors, and early diagnosis and initiation of appropriate treatment are crucial.