1. Characterization of polymicrobial infections and risk assessment among keratitis patients Denise de Freitas, Fabio Carvalho, Pedro Ferrari, Maria Flávia Ribeiro, Annette Foronda, Ana Luisa Hofling-Lima The authors have no financial interest in the subject matter of this poster. Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of Sao Paulo

2. Purposes To report bacterial and fungal co-infection in Acanthamoeba keratitis To investigate the risk assessment associated with polymicrobial infection

3. Methods Retrospective analysis of the records ◦ Clinical and laboratorial diagnoses Patients with microbial keratitis Period: January, 1998 – June, 2009

4. Results 65 polymicrobial keratitis patients ◦ AK and bacterial keratitis: 61 patients ◦ AK and fungal keratitis: 4 patients Occurrence of microbial co-infection among contact-lens wearers ◦ 66% of investigated patients

5. Results Polymicrobial keratitis: Acanthamoeba/ Bacteria Year Number of Patients

6. Results Polymicrobial keratitis: ◦ Acanthamoeba/ C oagulase-negative staphylococci bacteria = 74% Year Number of Patients

7. Results Polymicrobial keratitis: ◦ Acanthamoeba/ Bacteria and contact-lens wearers = 69% Year Number of Patients

8. Results Polymicrobial keratitis ◦ Acanthamoeba and fungus  3 molds  1 yeast

9. Conclusions Contact-lens wearers are the main risk group for polymicrobial keratitis; The occurrence of microbial co-infection among keratitis patients could be an enhancer for disease severity;

10. Conclusions Contact-lenses wear associated with inadequate lens disinfection and microbial co-infection have to be considered as important prognostic tools related with cornea and external disease.