Acanthamoeba keratitis: confirmation of the UK outbreak and a prospective case-control study identifying contributing risk factors

• Published in: British journal of ophthalmology Vol. 102; no. 12; pp. 1621 - 1628
• Main Authors: Carnt, Nicole, Hoffman, Jeremy J, Verma, Seema, Hau, Scott, Radford, Cherry F, Minassian, Darwin C, Dart, John K G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01.12.2018
• Subjects: Acanthamoeba Keratitis - epidemiology; Acanthamoeba Keratitis - parasitology; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Case-Control Studies; Contact Lens Solutions; Contact lenses; Contact Lenses - parasitology; Cornea; Cysts; Data collection; Disease Outbreaks - statistics & numerical data; Drinking water; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Ethnic Groups; Female; Humans; Hydrogels; Hygiene - standards; Incidence; Laboratories; Male; Middle Aged; Ophthalmology; Prospective Studies; Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Social Class; United Kingdom - epidemiology; Young Adult; United Kingdom; United Kingdom > UK; epidemiology; Acanthamoeba keratitis; infection; contact lens

Background/aims Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a chronic debilitating corneal infection principally affecting contact lens (CL) users. Studies were designed to test claims that the UK incidence may have increased in 2012–2014 and to evaluate potential causes.MethodsAnnualised incidence data were col...