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Evaluation of Microbiological Diagnostic Techniques in Postoperative Endophthalmitis in the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study
Michael Barza, MD;
Peter Reed Pavan, MD;
Bernard H. Doft, MD;
Stephen R. Wisniewski, PhD;
Louis A. Wilson, MD;
Dennis P. Han, MD;
Sheryl F. Kelsey, PhD;
Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study Group
Arch Ophthalmol. 1997;115(9):1142-1150.
Abstract
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Objective
To analyze the data for cultures and Gram stains prospectively collected by protocol in the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study.
Design
Cultures of aqueous, undiluted vitreous, and (for patients who underwent vitrectomy) vitrectomy cassette fluid obtained from 420 patients were prepared on chocolate agar, in thioglycolate broth, and on Sabouraud dextrose agar; Gram stains of the aqueous and undiluted vitreous were made. Criteria were devised to distinguish true pathogens (confirmed positive cultures) from contaminants.
Setting
Private and university-based retina-vitreous practices and corresponding microbiology laboratories.
Results
Compared with the aqueous, undiluted vitreous produced a higher percentage of confirmed positive cultures and higher colony counts on chocolate agar and was more frequently the only source of a positive culture from the eye. Nevertheless, the aqueous and vitrectomy cassette fluid were the only source of a positive culture from the eye in 4.2% and 8.9% of eyes, respectively. The overall yields of chocolate agar and thioglycolate broth were similar. A positive Gram stain from the aqueous or undiluted vitreous was highly predictive of a positive culture from the eye, but a negative Gram stain had little predictive value for the culture result. The overall rate of laboratory-confirmed infection was not statistically significantly higher in the vitrectomy group than in the tap or biopsy group.
Conclusions
The vitreous was a richer source of positive cultures and high colony counts than was the aqueous, either because it is more supportive of bacterial growth or because a somewhat larger inoculum of the vitreous than of aqueous could be obtained. The result of Gram stain should not determine the choice of antibiotic drugs in the treatment of endophthalmitis. Vitrectomy, with culture of the vitrectomy cassette fluid, did not produce significantly more positive cultures than tap or biopsy material, and the procedure should not be performed to improve the microbiological yield.
Author Affiliations
From the Tupper Research Institute and the Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, New England Medical Center, Boston, Mass (Dr Barza); University of South Florida, Tampa (Dr Pavan); Retina-Vitreous Consultants (Dr Doft) and Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh (Drs Wisniewski and Kelsey), Pittsburgh, Pa; Emory Eye Center, Atlanta, Ga (Dr Wilson); and Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (Dr Han). A list of the members of the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study group was published in the Archives of Ophthalmology. 1995;113:1479-1496.
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