IS IT NECESSARY TO USE ANTIMICROBIALS FOR CORNEAL INFECTIONS?
Published 2024 - 28th ESCRS Winter Meeting
Reference: MP05 | Type: Presented Poster & Poster | DOI: 10.82333/828g-g682
Authors: Detlef Holland* 1 , Sunil Shah 2 , Jennifer Craig 3 , Simon Dean 4
1ophthalmology,Augenzentrum.One,Kiel,Germany, 2ophthlmology,Midland EYE,Birmingham,United Kingdom, 3ophthalmology,university,Auckland,New Zealand, 4ophthalmology,university Auckland,Auckland,New Zealand
Purpose
To assess the safety and efficacy of ultraviolet C (265nm) to treat corneal infections
Setting
University Auckland
Methods
15 seconds of UVC was applied to a variety of organisms in vitro, ex vivo to assess the efficacy and safety of treatment. In vivo, pseudomonas infected mice (sensitive to ciprofloxacin) were treated with 2 sessions of UVC, 4 hours apart (without antibiotics or in conjunction with antibiotics) and compared to antibiotics only. In addition, healthy epithelial cells were exposed to treatment levels of UVC (15s) but also 300s and also to multiple applications of UVC.
Results
In vitro and ex vivo resulted in almost 100% kill rate for organisms after 15 seconds of UVC treatment. There were no safety issues found with no significant damage to DNA in healthy epithelial cells. 15 s UVC was as effective as ciprofoxacin in ciprofloxacin sensitive pseudomonas infections in mice
Conclusion
UVC light has been found to be an effective treatment to selectively target any prokaryotic microorganisms (bacteria / viruses / fungi / amoeba) whilst not harming the host.