A cluster of deep bacterial infections following eye surgery associated with construction dust

Three cases of serious eye infection (two endophthalmitis, one orbital cellulitis; two caused by Staphylococcus aureus, one caused by viridans streptococci) occurred shortly after surgery (two cataracts, one retinal detachment repair) within two weeks. There had been construction work adjacent to th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of hospital infection 2006-06, Vol.63 (2), p.197-200
Main Authors: Gibb, A.P., Fleck, B.W., Kempton-Smith, L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Cellulitis - epidemiology
Cellulitis - etiology
Construction
Disease Outbreaks
Dust
Endophthalmitis
Endophthalmitis - epidemiology
Endophthalmitis - etiology
Eye Foreign Bodies - complications
Foreign body
Humans
Infectious diseases
Medical sciences
Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures - adverse effects
Orbital Diseases - epidemiology
Orbital Diseases - etiology
Scotland - epidemiology
Staphylococcal Infections - etiology
Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcal Infections - etiology
Surgical Wound Infection - epidemiology
Surgical Wound Infection - etiology
Viridans Streptococci
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Summary:Three cases of serious eye infection (two endophthalmitis, one orbital cellulitis; two caused by Staphylococcus aureus, one caused by viridans streptococci) occurred shortly after surgery (two cataracts, one retinal detachment repair) within two weeks. There had been construction work adjacent to the theatres during this time, and fine dust was found on horizontal surfaces. Further surgery was cancelled, the construction work was completed and theatres were cleaned before recommencing with no further infections. Following a review of factors that may be involved in the pathogenesis of endophthalmitis, it is proposed that the mechanism of infection in these cases may have been due to the presence of foreign material enhancing the pathogenicity of the small numbers of organisms often found in intra-ocular fluids during surgery. This hypothesis could be tested in experimental models of endophthalmitis.
ISSN:0195-6701
1532-2939
DOI:10.1016/j.jhin.2006.01.010