Ocular Microbiology and Immunology Group
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2012 OMIG Abstract 15

Comparison of the Contamination Rate of Corneas from Septic Donors with Corneas from Non-septic Donors
L.L. Harris, and A. Partal
University of Tennessee Hamilton Eye Institute, Memphis, TN and the East Tennessee Lions Eye Bank, Knoxville, TN

Purpose: Endophthalmitis is a devastating infection that can occur after any intraocular surgery including penetrating keratoplasty. Donor corneas must meet strict microbiologic standards to be considered for use in transplant surgery. Currently corneas from donors known or suspected to be septic at the time of death are not eligible for use in transplant surgery; however, it is not known whether such corneas are more likely than transplant eligible corneas to carry pathogenic organisms.

Methods: Ten corneas recovered from donors suspected to be septic at the time of death (experimental group), along with their storage media, were cultured for aerobic, anaerobic, and fungal organisms. Thirteen corneas deemed ineligible for transplantation for other reasons (control group) were cultured in an identical manor. The frequency of positive cultures between the two groups was compared.

Results: Surprisingly, there were no positive cultures from the experimental or control cornea groups.

Conclusions: Under the conditions of this study, not only did antisepsis and media antibiotics prevent recovery of pathogenic organisms from the control group, but also from corneas harvested from donors suspected to be septic.

Disclosure: Sponsored by the East Tennessee Lions Eye Bank, Knoxville, TN.

2012 Agenda and Abstracts | < Previous | Next >