Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38653537›Full record

ArticleBMJ open ophthalmology2024

Microbial keratitis in Southern Malawi: a microbiological pilot study.

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 and 3 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open ophthalmology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.7field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 2 institutions in 3 countries.

Tobi F SomervilleDepartment of Eye and Vision Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK tobi@liverpool.ac.uk.ORCID 0009-0004-5662-5138
Shaffi MdalaQueen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Southern Region, Malawi.
Thokozani ZunguQueen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Southern Region, Malawi.
Moira GandiwaOphthalmology Unit, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Southern Region, Malawi.
Rose HerbertDepartment of Eye and Vision Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-6728-5125
Dean EverettMalawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi.
Caroline E CorlessMedical Microbiology, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK.
Nicholas A V BeareUniversity of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-8086-990X
Timothy NealDepartment of Infection and Immunity, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK.
Malcolm J HorsburghDepartment of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Alistair DarbyDepartment of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Stephen B KayeDepartment of Eye and Vision Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Petros C KayangeQueen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Southern Region, Malawi.
University of Liverpool · GBKamuzu Central Hospital · MW

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveMicrobial 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

results71 eyes of 71 patients were included. The overall CIM isolation rate was 81.7% (58 positive samples from 71 participants). 69 (81.2%) of isolates were Gram-positive cocci. Coagulase-negative

conclusionsIn a resource-poor setting, a CIM can be used to safely sample the cornea in patients presenting with suspected MK, enabling identification of causative microorganisms by culture and PCR. Although the microbiological spectrum found was limited to the dry season, these preliminary results could be used to guide empirical treatment.

Indexed as

Eye Infections, BacterialAcanthamoebaAdolescentAdultAgedAnti-Bacterial AgentsBacteriaCorneaFemaleHumansKeratitisMalawiMaleMicrobial Sensitivity TestsMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsAnti-Bacterial AgentsRNA, Ribosomal, 16SCorneaInfectionTreatment Medical

Identifiers

PMID38653537
PMCPMC11043707
OpenAlexW4395052498

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.