HIV and Substance Use Disorders.

Over 1.2 million Americans aged 13 years and older have been diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). While HIV incidence has been declining since 2017, the risk of HIV acquisition and transmission persists among persons who use drugs via injection drug use and unprotected sexual intercourse associated with substance use. Untreated substance use disorder (SUD) is associated with poor adherence to HIV antiretroviral therapy, poor HIV outcomes, and increased risk for HIV acquisition. Herein, we describe the intertwined syndemic of HIV and SUD, as well as treatment strategies and evidence-based public health efforts to engage and retain persons who use drugs into care.

Topical Ophthalmic Anesthetics for CornealAbrasions: Findings from a Cochrane SystematicReview and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Despite potential benefit, outpatient use of topical ophthalmic anesthetics can result in poor healing, infection, scar, and blindness. An unbiased analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is needed to examine their effectiveness and safety compared with placebo or other treatments for corneal abrasions. Methods: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase.com, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched on February 10, 2023, without restriction on language or publication date. Results: Systematic review and meta-analysis of nine RCTs describing 314 participants with post-traumatic abrasions and 242 participants with post-surgical abrasions, with a median study length of 7 days (interquartile range, 7-14), show no evidence of a difference in pain control between anesthetics and placebo at 24 hours in post-trauma cases. Self-reported pain at 24 hours is reduced with anesthetics plus topical nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug in post-surgical participants (mean difference [MD], -5.72 on a 10-point scale; 95% CI, -7.35 to -4.09; 1 RCT; 30 participants) and at 48 hours with anesthetics alone in post-trauma participants (MD, -5.68; 95% CI, -6.38 to -4.98; 1 RCT; 111 participants). Anesthetics are associated with 37% increased risk of non-healing defects (risk ratio, 1.37; 95% CI, 0.78 to 2.42; 3 RCTs; 221 post-trauma participants). All evidence is of very low certainty. Over 50% of trials have an overall high risk of bias. Conclusions: Available evidence is insufficient to support outpatient use of topical anesthetics for corneal abrasions with respect to pain, re-epithelialization, and complication risk.

A data-driven approach to implementing the HPTN 094 complex intervention INTEGRA in local communities.

BACKGROUND: HIV burden in the US among people who inject drugs (PWID) is driven by overlapping syndemic factors such as co-occurring health needs and environmental factors that synergize to produce worse health outcomes among PWID. This includes stigma, poverty, and limited healthcare access (e.g. medication to treat/prevent HIV and for opioid use disorder [MOUD]). Health services to address these complex needs, when they exist, are rarely located in proximity to each other or to the PWID who need them. Given the shifting drug use landscapes and geographic heterogeneity in the US, we evaluate a data-driven approach to guide the delivery of such services to PWID in local communities. METHODS: We used a hybrid, type I, embedded, mixed method, data-driven approach to identify and characterize viable implementation neighborhoods for the HPTN 094 complex intervention, delivering integrated MOUD and HIV treatment/prevention through a mobile unit to PWID across five US cities. Applying the PRISM framework, we triangulated geographic and observational pre-implementation phase data (epidemiological overdose and HIV surveillance data) with two years of implementation phase data (weekly ecological assessments, study protocol meetings) to characterize environmental factors that affected the viability of implementation neighborhoods over time and across diverse settings. RESULTS: Neighborhood-level drug use and geographic diversity alongside shifting socio-political factors (policing, surveillance, gentrification) differentially affected the utility of epidemiological data in identifying viable implementation neighborhoods across sites. In sites where PWID are more geographically dispersed, proximity to structural factors such as public transportation and spaces where PWID reside played a role in determining suitable implementation sites. The utility of leveraging additional data from local overdose and housing response systems to identify viable implementation neighborhoods was mixed. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that data-driven approaches provide a contextually relevant pragmatic strategy to guide the real-time implementation of integrated care models to better meet the needs of PWID and help inform the scale-up of such complex interventions. This work highlights the utility of implementation science methods that attend to the impact of local community environmental factors on the implementation of complex interventions to PWID across diverse drug use, sociopolitical, and geographic landscapes in the US. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClincalTrials.gov, Registration Number: NCT04804072 . Registered 18 February 2021.

HIV Risk and Interest in Preexposure Prophylaxis in Justice-Involved Persons.

Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is underused in persons who use drugs and justice-involved persons. In an ongoing randomized controlled trial in 4 US locations comparing patient navigation versus mobile health unit on time to initiation of HIV medication or PrEP for justice-involved persons who use stimulants or opioids and who are at risk for or living with HIV, we assessed HIV risk factors, perceived HIV risk, and interest in PrEP. Participants without HIV (n = 195) were 77% men, 65% White, 23% Black, and 26% Hispanic; 73% reported a recent history of condomless sex, mainly with partners of unknown HIV status. Of 34% (67/195) reporting injection drug use, 43% reported sharing equipment. Despite risk factors, many persons reported their risk for acquiring HIV as low (47%) or no (43%) risk, although 51/93 (55%) with PrEP indications reported interest in PrEP. Justice-involved persons who use drugs underestimated their HIV risk and might benefit from increased PrEP education efforts.

A retrospective chart review assessing antibiotic treatment of hospitalized patients with discordant Clostridioides difficile assays in an urban hospitalized setting.

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) threatens vulnerable populations in health care. Two-step testing improves specificity, avoiding over-treatment. This study analyzed inpatient records to estimate diagnostic outcomes and identify characteristics associated with treatment after discordant testing. Among discordant patients, those aged 65+ years were significantly more likely to be prescribed antibiotics (67% vs 39%).

Hospitalization is a missed opportunity for HIV screening, pre-exposure prophylaxis, and treatment.

BACKGROUND: Hospitalization is a "reachable moment" for people who inject drugs (PWID), but preventive care including HIV testing, prevention and treatment is rarely offered within inpatient settings. METHODS: We conducted a multisite, retrospective cohort study of patients with opioid use disorder with infectious complications of injection drug use hospitalized between 1/1/2018-12/31/2018. We evaluated HIV care continuum outcomes using descriptive statistics and hypothesis tests for intergroup differences. RESULTS: 322 patients were included. Of 300 patients without known HIV, only 2 had a documented discussion of PrEP, while only 1 was prescribed PrEP on discharge. Among the 22 people with HIV (PWH), only 13 (59%) had a viral load collected during admission of whom all were viremic and 10 (45%) were successfully linked to care post-discharge. Rates of readmission, Medicaid or uninsured status, and unstable housing were high in both groups. DISCUSSION: We observed poor provision of HIV testing, PrEP and other HIV services for hospitalized PWID across multiple U.S. medical centers. Future initiatives should focus on providing this group with comprehensive HIV testing and treatment services through a status neutral approach.

Delivering integrated strategies from a mobile unit to address the intertwining epidemics of HIV and addiction in people who inject drugs: the HPTN 094 randomized controlled trial protocol (the INTEGRA Study).

BACKGROUND: Persons with opioid use disorders who inject drugs (PWID) in the United States (US) face multiple and intertwining health risks. These include interference with consistent access, linkage, and retention to health care including medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), HIV prevention using pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Most services, when available, including those that address substance misuse, HIV prevention, and STIs, are often provided in multiple locations that may be difficult to access, which further challenges sustained health for PWID. HPTN 094 (INTEGRA) is a study designed to test the efficacy of an integrated, "whole-person" strategy that provides integrated HIV prevention including antiretroviral therapy (ART), PrEP, MOUD, and STI testing and treatment from a mobile health delivery unit ("mobile unit") with peer navigation compared to peer navigation alone to access these services at brick and mortar locations. METHODS: HPTN 094 (INTEGRA) is a two-arm, randomized controlled trial in 5 US cities where approximately 400 PWID without HIV are assigned either to an experimental condition that delivers 26 weeks of "one-stop" integrated health services combined with peer navigation and delivered in a mobile unit or to an active control condition using peer navigation only for 26 weeks to the same set of services delivered in community settings. The primary outcomes include being alive and retained in MOUD and PrEP at 26 weeks post-randomization. Secondary outcomes measure the durability of intervention effects at 52 weeks following randomization. DISCUSSION: This trial responds to a need for evidence on using a "whole-person" strategy for delivering integrated HIV prevention and substance use treatment, while testing the use of a mobile unit that meets out-of-treatment PWID wherever they might be and links them to care systems and/or harm reduction services. Findings will be important in guiding policy for engaging PWID in HIV prevention or care, substance use treatment, and STI testing and treatment by addressing the intertwined epidemics of addiction and HIV among those who have many physical and geographic barriers to access care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04804072 . Registered on 18 March 2021.

Antibiotics Versus Placebo for Acute Bacterial Conjunctivitis: Findings From a Cochrane Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To summarize key findings from a Cochrane review of the benefits and safety of antibiotic therapy compared with placebo (or vehicle) for acute bacterial conjunctivitis. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: We included placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared topical antibiotics with placebo. We followed Cochrane methods for trial selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment, and evidence synthesis. RESULTS: Twenty-one RCTs involving 8805 participants with acute bacterial conjunctivitis were included. Fifteen (71%) RCTs examined fluoroquinolone (FQ) drops, 3 tested macrolides, alone or in combination with steroids, and another 3 compared other non-FQ antibiotics. Intention-to-treat estimates suggested that compared with placebo, antibiotics may increase clinical recovery by 26% (risk ratio [RR]: 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09-1.46) at the end of therapy (5 RCTs, 1474 participants). Modified intention-to-treat estimates, in which only participants with laboratory-confirmed bacterial conjunctivitis were analyzed, indicated that antibiotics were associated with 53% higher likelihood of microbiological cure as compared with placebo (RR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.34-1.74; 10 RCTs, 2827 participants). Non-FQs (RR: 4.05; 95% CI: 1.36-12.00), but not FQs (RR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.54-0.90), were likely to increase treatment-associated ocular complications such as eye pain, discomfort, and allergic reactions; the certainty of level of evidence was very low. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate level certainty of evidence suggested that antibiotics may increase the likelihood of clinical recovery and microbiological clearance compared with placebo. Very low-level certainty of evidence suggested that antibiotics may be associated with potential harm in patients with acute bacterial conjunctivitis, but the potential risk of bias from study design, inconsistency in outcome measurement, and reporting limit the evidence to very low certainty.

Overcoming structural barriers to diffusion of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis.

HIV prevention with antiretroviral medication in the form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) offers a critical tool to halt the HIV pandemic. Barriers to PrEP access across drug types, formulations, and delivery systems share remarkable commonalities and are likely to be generalizable to future novel PrEP strategies. Appreciation of these barriers allows for planning earlier in the drug-development pathway rather than waiting for the demonstration of efficacy. The purpose of this article is to propose a core set of considerations that should be included in the drug-development process for future PrEP interventions. A literature synthesis of key barriers to PrEP uptake in the United States was conducted to elucidate commonalities across PrEP agents and delivery methods. Based on the published literature, we divided challenges into three main categories of structural barriers: (1) provider and clinic characteristics; (2) cost considerations; and (3) disparities and social constructs, with potential solutions provided for each. Pragmatic strategies for examining and overcoming these barriers before future PrEP regulatory approval are recommended. If these strategies are considered well before the time of commercial availability, the potential for PrEP to interrupt the HIV pandemic will be greatly enhanced.

Overcoming Barriers to Diffusion of HIV PrEP Giving antiretroviral medications to prevent acquiring HIV is called pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP. PrEP offers a critical tool to halt the HIV pandemic. Unfortunately, there are many barriers to PrEP access. Whether the PrEP is a pill, an injection, or other drug delivery systems not yet created, they share many common characteristics. Understanding these barriers now can help us plan earlier in the drug-development process rather than waiting for proof that the medication works. We can start overcoming barriers to PrEP access if we think of them before the drugs are developed rather than waiting until they are on the market. The purpose of this article is to propose core considerations to include in the drug-development process for future PrEP methods. The authors conducted a literature synthesis examining key barriers to PrEP uptake in the United States. The published literature was reviewed to identify commonalities across PrEP drugs and delivery methods. Based on the published literature, the authors divided challenges into three main categories: (1) provider and clinic characteristics; (2) cost considerations; and (3) disparities and social constructs. Potential solutions are provided for each. Practical strategies for examining and overcoming these barriers before future PrEP regulatory approval are recommended. If these strategies are considered before the time of commercial availability, the potential for PrEP to stop HIV will be greatly enhanced.

Integrated Care Models: HIV and Substance Use.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Behaviors and practices associated with substance use contribute to lack of HIV virologic suppression and onward transmission. In the USA, many recent HIV outbreaks have been connected with substance use. Evidence-based strategies for integrating care of those at risk for and living with HIV and who use substances continue to evolve. This review, based on scientific and medical literature through March 2023, provides an overview and evaluation of initiatives for integrated care aimed to serve patients at risk for and with HIV and a substance use disorder. RECENT FINDINGS: Integrated care services can improve health outcomes for patients at risk for and with HIV and a substance use disorder; for instance, treatment for an opioid use disorder can help improve HIV viral suppression. Brick-and-mortar facilities can provide successful care integration with appropriate clinic leadership to support multidisciplinary care teams, up-to-date provider training, and sufficient pharmacy stock for substance use treatment. Delivering healthcare services to communities (e.g., mobile healthcare clinics and pharmacies, telehealth) may prove to be an effective way to provide integrated services for those with or at risk of HIV and substance use disorders. Incorporating technology (e.g., mobile phone applications) may facilitate integrated care. Other venues, including harm reduction programs and carceral settings, should be targets for integrated services. Venues providing healthcare should invest in integrated care and support legislation that increases access to services related to HIV and substance use.

Topical ophthalmic anesthetics for corneal abrasions.

BACKGROUND: Despite potential analgesic benefits from topical ophthalmic amides and esters, their outpatient use has become of concern because of the potential for abuse and ophthalmic complications. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of topical ophthalmic anesthetics compared with placebo or other treatments in persons with corneal abrasions. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); MEDLINE; Embase.com; Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences (LILACS); ClinicalTrials.gov; and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), without restriction on language or year of publication. The search was performed on 10 February 2023. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of topical ophthalmic anesthetics alone or in combination with another treatment (e.g. nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)) versus a non-anesthetic control group (e.g. placebo, non-treatment, or alternative treatment). We included trials that enrolled participants of all ages who had corneal abrasions within 48 hours of presentation. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard Cochrane methodology. MAIN RESULTS: We included nine parallel-group RCTs with a total of 556 participants (median number of participants per study: 45, interquartile range (IQR) 44 to 74), conducted in eight countries: Australia, Canada, France, South Korea, Turkey, New Zealand, UK, and USA. Study characteristics and risk of bias Four RCTs (314 participants) investigated post-traumatic corneal abrasions diagnosed in the emergency department setting. Five trials described 242 participants from ophthalmology surgery centers with post-surgical corneal defects: four from photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and one from pterygium surgery. Study duration ranged from two days to six months, the most common being one week (four RCTs). Treatment duration ranged from three hours to one week (nine RCTs); the majority were between 24 and 48 hours (five RCTs). The age of participants was reported in eight studies, ranging from 17 to 74 years of age. Only one participant in one trial was under 18 years of age. Of four studies that reported funding sources, none was industry-sponsored. We judged a high risk of bias in one trial with respect to the outcome pain control by 48 hours, and in five of seven trials with respect to the outcome complications at the furthest time point. The domain for which we assessed studies to be at the highest risk of bias was missing or selective reporting of outcome data. Findings The treatments investigated included topical anesthetics compared with placebo, topical anesthetic compared with NSAID (post-surgical cases), and topical anesthetics plus NSAID compared with placebo (post-surgical cases). Pain control by 24 hours In all studies, self-reported pain outcomes were on a 10-point scale, where lower numbers represent less pain. In post-surgical trials, topical anesthetics provided a moderate reduction in self-reported pain at 24 hours compared with placebo of 1.28 points on a 10-point scale (mean difference (MD) -1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.76 to -0.80; 3 RCTs, 119 participants). In the post-trauma participants, there may be little or no difference in effect (MD -0.04, 95% CI -0.10 to 0.02; 1 RCT, 76 participants). Compared with NSAID in post-surgical participants, topical anesthetics resulted in a slight increase in pain at 24 hours (MD 0.82, 95% CI 0.01 to 1.63; 1 RCT, 74 participants). One RCT compared topical anesthetics plus NSAID to placebo. There may be a large reduction in pain at 24 hours with topical anesthetics plus NSAID in post-surgical participants, but the evidence to support this large effect is very uncertain (MD -5.72, 95% CI -7.35 to -4.09; 1 RCT, 30 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Pain control by 48 hours Compared with placebo, topical anesthetics reduced post-trauma pain substantially by 48 hours (MD -5.68, 95% CI -6.38 to -4.98; 1 RCT, 111 participants) but had little to no effect on post-surgical pain (MD 0.41, 95% CI -0.45 to 1.27; 1 RCT, 44 participants), although the evidence is very uncertain. Pain control by 72 hours One post-surgical RCT showed little or no effect of topical anesthetics compared with placebo by 72 hours (MD 0.49, 95% CI -0.06 to 1.04; 44 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Proportion of participants with unresolved epithelial defects When compared with placebo or NSAID, topical anesthetics increased the number of participants without complete resolution of defects in trials of post-trauma participants (risk ratio (RR) 1.37, 95% CI 0.78 to 2.42; 3 RCTs, 221 participants; very low-certainty evidence). The proportion of placebo-treated post-surgical participants with unresolved epithelial defects at 24 to 72 hours was lower when compared with those assigned to topical anesthetics (RR 0.14, 95% CI 0.01 to 2.55; 1 RCT, 30 participants; very low-certainty evidence) or topical anesthetics plus NSAID (RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.04 to 2.85; 1 RCT, 30 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Proportion of participants with complications at the longest follow-up When compared with placebo or NSAID, topical anesthetics resulted in a higher proportion of post-trauma participants with complications at up to two weeks (RR 1.13, 95% CI 0.23 to 5.46; 3 RCTs, 242 participants) and post-surgical participants with complications at up to one week (RR 7.00, 95% CI 0.38 to 128.02; 1 RCT, 44 participants). When topical anesthetic plus NSAID was compared with placebo, no complications were reported in either treatment arm up to one week post-surgery (risk difference (RD) 0.00, 95% CI -0.12 to 0.12; 1 RCT, 30 participants). The evidence is very uncertain for safety outcomes. Quality of life None of the included trials assessed quality of life outcomes. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Despite topical anesthetics providing excellent pain control in the intraoperative setting, the currently available evidence provides little or no certainty about their efficacy for reducing ocular pain in the initial 24 to 72 hours after a corneal abrasion, whether from unintentional trauma or surgery. We have very low confidence in this evidence as a basis to recommend topical anesthetics as an efficacious treatment modality to relieve pain from corneal abrasions. We also found no evidence of a substantial effect on epithelial healing up to 72 hours or a reduction in ocular complications when we compared anesthetics alone or with NSAIDs versus placebo.

Undertreatment of opioid use disorder in patients hospitalized with injection drug use-associated infections.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) initiation and addiction consultation and outcomes for patients hospitalized with infectious complications of injecting opioids. METHOD: This was a retrospective cohort study performed at four academic medical centers in the United States. The participants were patients who had been hospitalized with infectious complications of injecting opioids in 2018. Three hundred and twenty-two patients were included and their individual patient records were manually reviewed to identify inpatient receipt of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), initiation of MOUD, and addiction consultation. The main outcomes of interest were premature discharge, MOUD on discharge, linkage to outpatient MOUD, one-year readmission and death. RESULTS: Three hundred and twenty-two patients were predominately male (59%), white (66%), and median age 38 years, with 36% unstably housed, and 30% uninsured. One hundred and forty-five (45%) patients received MOUD during hospitalization, including only 65 (28%) patients not on baseline MOUD. Discharge was premature for 64 (20%) patients. In the year following discharge, 27 (9%) patients were linked to MOUD, and 159 (50%) patients had at least one readmission. Being on MOUD during hospitalization was significantly associated with higher odds of planned discharge [odds ratio (OR) 3.87, P  < 0.0001], MOUD on discharge (OR 129.7, P  < 0.0001), and linkage to outpatient MOUD (OR 1.25, P  < 0.0001), however, was not associated with readmission. Study limitations were the retrospective nature of the study, so post-discharge data are likely underestimated. CONCLUSION: There was dramatic undertreatment with MOUD from inpatient admission to outpatient linkage, and high rates of premature discharge and readmission. Engagement in addiction care during hospitalization is a critical first step in improving the care continuum for individuals with opioid use disorder; however, additional interventions may be needed to impact long-term outcomes like readmission.

Use of nonstigmatizing language is associated with improved outcomes in hospitalized people who inject drugs.

BACKGROUND: Stigma surrounding opioid use disorder (OUD) is a barrier to treatment. The use of stigmatizing language may be evidence of negative views toward patients. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify associations between language and clinical outcomes in patients admitted for infectious complications of OUD. DESIGNS: We performed a retrospective medical record review. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: Four U.S. academic health systems. Participants were patients with OUD admitted for infectious complications of injection opioid use from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018, identified through international classification of diseases, 10th revision codes consistent with OUD and acute bacterial/fungal infection. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES: Discharge summaries were reviewed for language, specifically: abuse, addiction, dependence, misuse, use disorder, intravenous drug use, and others. Binary outcomes including medication for OUD, planned discharge, naloxone provision, and an OUD treatment plan were evaluated using logistic regressions and admission duration was evaluated using Gamma regression. RESULTS: A total of 1285 records were reviewed and 328 met inclusion criteria. Of those, 191 (58%) were male, with a median age of 38 years. The most common term was "abuse" (219, 67%), whereas "use disorder" was recorded in 75 (23%) records. Having "use disorder" in the discharge summary was associated with increased odds of having a documented plan for ongoing OUD treatment (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 4.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.89-8.93) and having a documented plan for addiction-specific follow-up care (AOR: 2.31, 95% CI: 1.30-4.09). CONCLUSIONS: Stigmatizing language was common in this study of patients hospitalized for infectious complications of OUD. Best-practice language was uncommon, but when used was associated with increased odds of addiction treatment and specialty care referrals.

Corneal Culture and Antibiotic Susceptibility Results for Microbial Keratitis in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States, 2016 to 2020.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the microbial distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility of culture-positive microbial keratitis at a large tertiary referral center in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. METHODS: Retrospective review of culture-positive microbial keratitis cases at the Wilmer Eye Institute from 2016 through 2020. RESULTS: Of the 474 culture-positive microbial keratitis cases, most were bacterial (N=450, 94.9%), followed by fungal (N=48, 10.1%) and Acanthamoeba keratitis (N=15, 3.1%). Of the 450 bacterial isolates, 284 (69.5%) were gram-positive organisms, whereas 157 (28.4%) were gram-negative organisms. The most common bacterial species isolated was coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp (N=154, 24.8%), and the most common gram-negative isolate was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (N=76, 12.3%). Among fungi, the most common isolates were Candida (N=25, 45.4%), whereas Fusarium (N=6, 10.9%) and Aspergillus (N=3, 5.5%) were less common. Of the 217 bacterial isolates tested for erythromycin susceptibility, 121 (55.7%; ∼60% of coagulase-negative staphylococci and corynebacteria tested) showed resistance to erythromycin. CONCLUSIONS: Microbial keratitis in the Baltimore Mid-Atlantic region of the United States is most commonly caused by bacteria, with fungi and acanthamoeba being less common. Gram-positive bacterial infections predominate. Among fungal keratitis cases, Candida species are more commonly encountered than are filamentous species. Use of erythromycin as infection prophylaxis should be reexamined. Findings from our study may guide empiric treatment in this geographic region.

Satellite Faculty in an Academic Ophthalmology Department: Junior, Clinical, and Female.

Purpose: To evaluate the perception of physicians at satellite offices of a large academic ophthalmology department. Methods: A survey was sent to the 32 physician faculty members working at the satellite offices in the Ophthalmology Department of the University of Michigan. The ophthalmologists answered 44 survey questions on staffing, wait times, physician satisfaction, patient satisfaction, compensation, administrative help, research, and operations management. Results: Seventeen (53%) satellite ophthalmologists responded. The majority were satisfied with work at satellites, which they felt operated efficiently and believed to feature high patient satisfaction. A minority of ophthalmologists had concerns about salary, volume, marketing support, and geographic location. Some respondents did not understand the compensation structure, satellites' finances, or contribution to the overall department. Most described a lack of research and resident teaching opportunities at satellites. Conclusions: The perceptions of ophthalmologists who work in satellite offices are important because of the growth of these offices in academic medical centers and the ability for satellite doctors to offer care comparable with and sooner than doctors at the main hospital at locations convenient for patients. Satellite ophthalmologists at this academic center would appreciate increased transparency of compensation and financial structures; administrative help with marketing and maintaining efficiency, which doctors and patients enjoy at satellite offices; and more teaching and research opportunities, which are the basis of academic advancement. Such efforts may help retain satellite doctors, who tend to be junior in rank, female, nontenured faculty, and who experience a higher turnover rate than faculty at the main campus.