Abstract
Endophthalmitis is a rare but frequently devastating infection, caused by diverse organisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. The causative agents of endophthalmitis vary according to the mechanism. The involvement of intraocular structures can result from exogenous spread from ocular trauma, infection of adjacent structures, or as a complication of intraocular surgery. Of the causes of exogenous endophthalmitis, post-operative endophthalmitis is the most frequently encountered; specifically, cataract surgery is the most frequent eye surgery and, thus, leads the list of surgery-associated endophthalmitis. Exogenous source is far more common than endogenous endophthalmitis, a disease that is caused by the hematogenous spread of organisms from a remote infectious site to the eye, leading to severe visual loss. Several large series estimate that endogenous endophthalmitis accounts for 2–15 % of all cases of endophthalmitis. Progressive vitritis is a hallmark for all forms of endophthalmitis, accompanied by intraocular inflammation, loss of vision, pain, and hypopyon. The common presentation consists of reduced vision, conjunctival injection, pain, and eyelid swelling. We reviewed the microbiology of endophthalmitis during a 9-year period in Winnipeg, Canada. Gram-positive bacteria with coagulase-negative staphylococci are the most common causative organisms, reflecting the association with surgical procedures.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lemley CA, Han DP (2007) Endophthalmitis: a review of current evaluation and management. Retina 27:662–680
Callegan MC, Engelbert M, Parke DW 2nd et al (2002) Bacterial endophthalmitis: epidemiology, therapeutics, and bacterium–host interactions. Clin Microbiol Rev 15:111–124
Aaberg TM Jr, Flynn HW Jr, Schiffman J et al (1998) Nosocomial acute-onset postoperative endophthalmitis survey. A 10-year review of incidence and outcomes. Ophthalmology 105:1004–1010
Mandelbaum S, Meisler DM (1993) Postoperative chronic microbial endophthalmitis. Int Ophthalmol Clin 33(1):71–79
Meisler DM, Mandelbaum S (1989) Propionibacterium-associated endophthalmitis after extracapsular cataract extraction. Review of reported cases. Ophthalmology 96(1):54–61
Moshfeghi AA, Rosenfeld PJ, Flynn HW et al (2011) Endophthalmitis after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor antagonists: a six-year experience at a university referral center. Retina 31(4):662–668
Inoue M, Kobayakawa S, Sotozono C et al (2011) Evaluation of the incidence of endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor. Ophthalmologica 226(3):145–150
Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study Group (1995) Results of the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study. A randomized trial of immediate vitrectomy and of intravenous antibiotics for the treatment of postoperative bacterial endophthalmitis. Arch Ophthalmol 113:1479–1496
Doshi RR, Arevalo JF, Flynn HW Jr et al (2010) Evaluating exaggerated, prolonged, or delayed postoperative intraocular inflammation. Am J Ophthalmol 150(3):295.e1–304.e1
Mamalis N, Edelhauser HF, Dawson DG et al (2006) Toxic anterior segment syndrome. J Cataract Refract Surg 32(2):324–333
Ciulla TA, Starr MB, Masket S (2002) Bacterial endophthalmitis prophylaxis for cataract surgery: an evidence-based update. Ophthalmology 109:13–24
Barry P, Seal DV, Gettinby G et al; ESCRS Endophthalmitis Study Group (2006) ESCRS study of prophylaxis of postoperative endophthalmitis after cataract surgery: preliminary report of principal results from a European multicenter study. J Cataract Refract Surg 32(3):407–410
Scherer WJ, Lee K (1997) Implications of early systemic therapy on the incidence of endogenous fungal endophthalmitis. Ophthalmology 104:1593–1598
Okada AA, Johnson RP, Liles WC et al (1994) Endogenous bacterial endophthalmitis. Report of a ten-year retrospective study. Ophthalmology 101:832–838
Puliafito CA, Baker AS, Haaf J et al (1982) Infectious endophthalmitis. Review of 36 cases. Ophthalmology 89:921–929
Liang L, Lin X, Yu A et al (2004) The clinical analysis of endogenous endophthalmitis. Eye Sci 20:144–148
Jackson TL, Eykyn SJ, Graham EM et al (2003) Endogenous bacterial endophthalmitis: a 17-year prospective series and review of 267 reported cases. Surv Ophthalmol 48:403–423
Binder MI, Chua J, Kaiser PK et al (2003) Endogenous endophthalmitis: an 18-year review of culture-positive cases at a tertiary care center. Medicine (Baltimore) 82:97–105
Kresloff MS, Castellarin AA, Zarbin MA (1998) Endophthalmitis. Surv Ophthalmol 43:193–224
Smith SR, Kroll AJ, Lou PL et al (2007) Endogenous bacterial and fungal endophthalmitis. Int Ophthalmol Clin 47:173–183
Ness T, Pelz K, Hansen LL (2007) Endogenous endophthalmitis: microorganisms, disposition and prognosis. Acta Ophthalmol Scand 85:852–856
Augsten R, Königsdörffer E, Strobel J (1997) Endogenous endophthalmitis in severe generalized diseases. Ophthalmologe 94:397–400
Michelson JB, Friedlaender MH (1987) Endophthalmitis of drug abuse. Int Ophthalmol Clin 27:120–126
Chiu CT, Lin DY, Liaw YF (1988) Metastatic septic endophthalmitis in pyogenic liver abscess. J Clin Gastroenterol 10:524–527
Cheng DL, Liu YC, Yen MY et al (1991) Septic metastatic lesions of pyogenic liver abscess. Their association with Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremia in diabetic patients. Arch Intern Med 151:1557–1559
Fang CT, Lai SY, Yi WC et al (2007) Klebsiella pneumoniae genotype K1: an emerging pathogen that causes septic ocular or central nervous system complications from pyogenic liver abscess. Clin Infect Dis 45:284–293
Hsieh PF, Lin TL, Lee CZ et al (2008) Serum-induced iron acquisition systems and TonB contribute to virulence in Klebsiella pneumoniae causing primary pyogenic liver abscess. J Infect Dis 197:1717–1727
Lederman ER, Crum NF (2005) Pyogenic liver abscess with a focus on Klebsiella pneumoniae as a primary pathogen: an emerging disease with unique clinical characteristics. Am J Gastroenterol 100:322–331
Harris EW, D’Amico DJ, Bhisitkul R et al (2000) Bacterial subretinal abscess: a case report and review of the literature. Am J Ophthalmol 129:778–785
Scott IU, Matharoo N, Flynn HW Jr et al (2004) Endophthalmitis caused by Klebsiella species. Am J Ophthalmol 138:662–663
Keynan Y, Rubinstein E (2008) Endogenous endophthalmitis caused by hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae: an emerging disease in Southeast Asia and beyond. Curr Infect Dis Rep 10(5):343–345
Han DP, Wisniewski SR, Wilson LA et al (1996) Spectrum and susceptibilities of microbiologic isolates in the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study. Am J Ophthalmol 122:1–17
Kunimoto DY, Das T, Sharma S et al (1999) Microbiologic spectrum and susceptibility of isolates: part I. Postoperative endophthalmitis. Endophthalmitis Research Group. Am J Ophthalmol 128:240–242
Akçakaya AA, Sargin F, Erbil HH et al (2011) A cluster of acute-onset postoperative endophthalmitis over a 1-month period: investigation of an outbreak caused by uncommon species. Br J Ophthalmol 95:481–484
Forster RK, Abbott RL, Gelender H (1980) Management of infectious endophthalmitis. Ophthalmology 87:313–319
Driebe WT Jr, Mandelbaum S, Forster RK et al (1986) Pseudophakic endophthalmitis. Diagnosis and management. Ophthalmology 93:442–448
Brinton GS, Topping TM, Hyndiuk RA et al (1984) Posttraumatic endophthalmitis. Arch Ophthalmol 102:547–550
Alfaro DV, Roth D, Liggett PE (1994) Posttraumatic endophthalmitis. Causative organisms, treatment, and prevention. Retina 14:206–211
Kunimoto DY, Das T, Sharma S et al (1999) Microbiologic spectrum and susceptibility of isolates: part II. Posttraumatic endophthalmitis. Endophthalmitis Research Group. Am J Ophthalmol 128:242–244
Affeldt JC, Flynn HW Jr, Forster RK et al (1987) Microbial endophthalmitis resulting from ocular trauma. Ophthalmology 94:407–413
Schiedler V, Scott IU, Flynn HW Jr et al (2004) Culture-proven endogenous endophthalmitis: clinical features and visual acuity outcomes. Am J Ophthalmol 137:725–731
Milman T, Mirani N, Gibler T et al (2008) Actinomyces israelii endogenous endophthalmitis. Br J Ophthalmol 92:427–428
Jung SI, Shin DH, Park KH et al (2005) Vibrio vulnificus endophthalmitis occurring after ingestion of raw seafood. J Infect 51:e281–e283
Chen KJ, Hou CH, Sun MH et al (2008) Endophthalmitis caused by Acinetobacter baumannii: report of two cases. J Clin Microbiol 46:1148–1150
Das T, Deshmukh HS, Mathai A et al (2009) Stenotrophomonas maltophilia endogenous endophthalmitis: clinical presentation, sensitivity spectrum and management. J Med Microbiol 58:837–838
Sheu SJ, Chen YC, Kuo NW et al (1998) Endogenous cryptococcal endophthalmitis. Ophthalmology 105:377–381
Marangon FB, Miller D, Giaconi JA et al (2004) In vitro investigation of voriconazole susceptibility for keratitis and endophthalmitis fungal pathogens. Am J Ophthalmol 137:820–825
Wong JS, Chan TK, Lee HM et al (2000) Endogenous bacterial endophthalmitis: an east Asian experience and a reappraisal of a severe ocular affliction. Ophthalmology 107:1483–1491
Greenwald MJ, Wohl LG, Sell CH (1986) Metastatic bacterial endophthalmitis: a contemporary reappraisal. Surv Ophthalmol 31:81–101
Montan P (2001) Endophthalmitis. Curr Opin Ophthalmol 12:75–81
Riddell J 4th, Comer GM, Kauffman CA (2011) Treatment of endogenous fungal endophthalmitis: focus on new antifungal agents. Clin Infect Dis 52:648–653
Kalkanci A, Ozdek S (2011) Ocular fungal infections. Curr Eye Res 36:179–189
Barza M, Pavan PR, Doft BH et al (1997) Evaluation of microbiological diagnostic techniques in postoperative endophthalmitis in the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study. Arch Ophthalmol 115(9):1142–1150
Busin M, Cusumano A, Spitznas M (1995) Intraocular lens removal from eyes with chronic low-grade endophthalmitis. J Cataract Refract Surg 21(6):679–684
Conflict of interest
The authors have not received funding for this project and have no conflict of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Keynan, Y., Finkelman, Y. & Lagacé-Wiens, P. The microbiology of endophthalmitis: global trends and a local perspective. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 31, 2879–2886 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-012-1659-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-012-1659-x