Prevalence of fungal corneal ulcers in northern India.

Fungal corneal ulcer is common in India due to the tropical climate and a large agrarian population that is at risk. Various factors such as trauma, the injudicious use of topical antibiotics and corticosteroids are involved. Many of the age and sex-related risk factors also play a minor role. This 6-year study from Northern India revealed that fungi were detected in 61 (8.4%) out of 730 patients investigated. Direct microscopy was positive in 51 (7%) and culture in 53 (7.3%) patients. Aspergillus spp. were the most common causative agents accounting for 25 (40.1%) of the isolates, followed by Fusarium sp. with ten (16.4%), Curvularia sp. with five (8.2%), Candida albicans with five (8.2%), Acremonium sp. with four (6.6%), Paecilomyces sp. with three (4.9%), Penicillium sp. with two (3.3%), Alternaria sp. with two (3.3%), Fonsecaea pedrosoi var. cladosporium with two isolates (3.3%) and Pseudallescheria boydii, Drechslera sp. and Aureobasidium pullulans with one isolate (1.6%) each. The prevalence of fungal ulcers in males was three times higher than in females. The affected individuals had a rural background and were in the 51-60 year age group.