Vol. 4, Issue 8, Part A (2018)

Abstract
Infective keratitis is a common, potential sight threatening ocular infection of the cornea by infective organisms like bacteria, fungi, virus or parasite. India and specifically Odisha being an agricultural land with hot humid climate, our study has been designed to specifically focus on Mycotic Keratitis. Corneal scraping was collected from the affected eye and subjected to Gram Stain and 10% KOH mount. The samples were inoculated into blood agar, McConkey Agar or bacterial culture and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) for fungal culture. The culture plates were incubated at 37 ⁰C and 27 ⁰C for bacterial and fungal culture respectively. The bacterial pathogens were identified by colony morphology, Gram Staining and standard biochemical Tests. The fungal pathogens were identified by growth, texture of the colony and pigmentation on obverse and reverse in SDA media. Microscopic examination was done by lactophenol cotton blue mount. Yeasts were identified by Gram Staining (Germ tube test) and morphology on Corn meal agar. Odisha being a tropical agricultural based area, most corneal ulcers are mycotic in origin. Aspergillus spp being the commonest pathogen followed by Penicillium spp (24.32%), Candida spp (13.51%), Aspergillus niger (10.81), Fusarium spp. (8.1%). males outnumbered females with maximum preponderance in 31-45 years age group.