Tobi F Somerville, Shaffi Mdala, Thokozani Zungu, Moira Gandiwa, Rose Herbert, Dean Everett, Caroline E Corless, Nicholas A V Beare, Timothy Neal, Malcolm J Horsburgh, Alistair Darby, Stephen B Kaye, Petros C Kayange
OBJECTIVE: Microbial keratitis (MK) is a significant cause of blindness in sub-Saharan Africa. We investigated the feasibility of using a novel corneal impression membrane (CIM) for obtaining and processing samples by culture, PCR and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in patients presenting with suspected MK in Malawi. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Samples were collected from patients presenting with suspected MK using a 12 mm diameter polytetrafluoroethylene CIM disc. Samples were processed using culture and PCR for Acanthamoeba , herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and the bacterial 16S rRNA gene...
April 22, 2024: BMJ Open Ophthalmology