Biofilm formation and its effect on the management of culture-positive bacterial endophthalmitis.

PURPOSE: To compare the clinicomicrobiological features and outcomes in patients with infectious endophthalmitis caused by biofilm-positive (BP) and biofilm-negative (BN) bacteria. METHODS: This was a prospective, interventional, comparative, nonrandomized, consecutive case series. Culture-positive bacterial endophthalmitis cases from August 1, 2018 to July 31st 31, 2019 were included. All vitreous samples were tested for biofilm using crystal violet plate and XTT (2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide) methods and classified as BN and BP. The antibiotic susceptibility of all organisms was determined. Anatomic and functional success was defined as intraocular pressure >5 mm Hg and final best-corrected vision ≥20/400, respectively, at last visit. RESULTS: There were 50 eyes in the BN group and 33 eyes in the BP group. BN group eyes required 2.86 ± 1.45 surgical interventions, and BP group eyes needed surgical 6.36 ± 2.89 interventions, P < 0.0001, 95% Confidence Interval, CI: 2-4. Median follow-up was 6 and 5 months, respectively (P = 0.33). Final logMAR vision was a median of 1.2 and 1.9 respectively; P = 0.0005, 95% C.I.: 0.4-1.7. Functional success was achieved in 44% and 21.2% (P = 0.03, 95% C.I.: 1.86%-40.08%) and anatomic success was achieved in 68% and 42.42%, respectively (P = 0.02, 95% C.I.: 3.85%-45.47%). The antimicrobial resistance patterns between the two groups were comparable. CONCLUSION: Endophthalmitis caused by the biofilm-forming bacteria needs a greater number of surgical interventions. The anatomic and functional outcomes are poorer than non-biofilm-forming bacterial endophthalmitis. The increased virulence and poorer outcomes can be hypothesized to be due to the physical barrier effect of the biofilm on the antibiotics.

Clinical manifestations and outcomes of ocular syphilis in Asian Indian population: Analysis of cases presenting to a tertiary referral center.

PURPOSE: To describe disease manifestations and outcomes of ocular syphilis in Asian Indian population. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with ocular syphilis at a tertiary referral center in India. Demographics, history, extraocular and ocular manifestations, ocular and systemic investigations, treatment and visual acuity outcomes were noted. All patients were diagnosed after necessary laboratory investigations including HIV ELISA (Human immunodeficiency virus, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), VDRL (venereal disease research laboratory), and TPHA (treponema pallidum hemagglutination). RESULTS: Totally, 20 patients with mean age at presentation 38.25 ± 9.76 were analyzed. 9/20 patients had bilateral involvement. 8/20 had concurrent HIV at presentation with an average CD4 counts of 592.25 ± 411.34 cells/microliter. The mean duration of symptoms at time of presentation was 15.45 ± 35.15 weeks. VDRL test was reactive in 45% (9/20) patients whereas, all patients had a reactive TPHA test. Clinical manifestations included outer retinal placoid chorioretinitis lesions (8/20, 40%), followed by retinitis mimicking acute retinal necrosis as the second most common phenotype (4/20, 20%). Other presenting manifestations noted were panuveitis, miliary retinitis lesions, retinal vasculitis, intermediate uveitis, and anterior uveitis. The clinical phenotypes in immunocompromised included panuveitis, acute retinal necrosis and isolated anterior uveitis. Mean follow up duration was 6.32 ± 6.15 months. An improvement in mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of (0.63 LogMAR, approximately 6 Snellen lines, P < 0.02) was noted at last follow-up. CONCLUSION: Phenotypic manifestations of ocular syphilis are varied. Non-treponemal tests like VDRL may be unreliable when compared with treponemal tests in diagnosing ocular syphilis. Syphilitic uveitis is considered equivalent to neurosyphilis and is treated similar to neurosyphilis.