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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
Endophthalmitis is an event which is considered to be quite rare nowadays. There are many studies on post cataract endophthalmitis but very few studies have come up on post cataract Bacillus endophthalmitis and our study focuses on a similar event. Our aim was to evaluate an outbreak of post operative endophthalmitis which took place in a hospital in north Kashmir and lasted over a period of three weeks. Elective cataract surgery was performed on patients, all above 50 years of age with intra ocular lens implantation. Out of all these patients operated for cataract, 8 patients developed endophthalmitis. Vitreal tap was done and subjected to gram staining, KOH and wet mount preparations and culture. Samples from different areas and instruments of the ophthalmology unit were also taken. Out of the eight vitreous taps of the cases, three were positive. These three samples showed gram positive bacilli in singles and chains supported by cultures which also revealed Bacillus spp. Subsequently samples from different areas and instruments of the ophthalmology unit also revealed Bacillus spp. The coexistence of Bacillus spp with human flora, its image as a contaminant and its rare occurrence as a cause of endophthalmitis are the things which hinder its establishment as an etiological agent. But the thing which always has to be kept in mind is that Bacillus spp whenever cultured from ocular tissues or fluids should not be dismissed as contaminant and should always be investigated. This outbreak of Bacillus endophthalmitis was linked to contaminated ophthalmic instruments and other materials used during the surgery and in the post operative period. The key is recognition of sterilization and decontamination as a problem, raising awareness, providing practical training and resources for the same.