Original Research Article
Year: 2023 | Month: March | Volume: 13 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 269-274
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20230330
Sociodemographic Distribution of Bacterial and Fungal External Eye Infections Among Children Attending a Tertiary Hospital in Southeast, Nigeria
Chukwuoha Chigozie Mary1, Dongo John Adele2, Esenwah Emmanuel Chukwudi3, Omoregie Emmanuel Eghosa4, Azuamah Young Christian3, Nlemolisa Oluchi Rose Collete5, Daniel-Nwosu Edith Ifenweoge3
1Mercy Eye Clinic, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
2Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
3Department of Optometry, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
4Department of Ophthalmology, General Hospital, Iruekpen, Edo State, Nigeria
5Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
Corresponding Author: Chukwuoha Chigozie Mary
ABSTRACT
This study which is a prospective cross-sectional survey ascertained the distribution of bacterial and fungal external eye infections among children attending the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri, Imo State, Southeast Nigeria. Owerri comprises Owerri Municipal, Owerri West and Owerri North Local Government Areas. The sample population was 460 subjects, aged 1-17years. Ocular samples were collected with sterile swabs from infected eyes for culture and identification to ascertain the type of infection, weather bacterial or fungal. Data were analysed with chi-square, analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation test and simple percentage using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 20.1 ((P-value ≤0.05). The most occurring eye infection was bacterial conjunctivitis (74.6%), followed by blepharitis (11.3%), bacterial keratitis (5%), hordeolum (3.9%), lid abscess (2.2%) and dacryocystitis (1.7%). Fungal keratitis (1.3%) was the least and only fungal external eye infection seen. Bacteria were found to be the major cause of conjunctival and corneal infections in the eye (86.09%). Bacterial conjunctivitis was most recorded among the 1-3 age group (93.1%), followed by 4-7 age group (80.6%), 8-11 age group (70.6%), 12-14 age group (65%) and 15-17 age group (48.7%). It occurred highest among the males (77.6%) than the females (71.4%). Fungal keratitis was recorded highest (5.1%) among the 15-17 age group followed by 12-14 age group (2.5%), while no case was seen among the other age groups. Owerri West recorded the highest bacterial and fungal external eye infections (43.26%), followed by Owerri North (35.86%) and Owerri Municipal (20.9%). Generally, there was higher rate of external eye infection among the males (50.65%) than females (49.34%).
Key words: External eye infection, Conjunctivitis, Children, Age, Sex, Residential area.