tetracycline and Blepharitis

Blepharitis is characterized by a great variety of clinical manifestations, which often include alterations of the ocular surface. This as well as its tendency to be therapy-resistant and recurrent explains why blepharitis marks a challenge for all ophthalmologists. Occasionally dermatologic diseases represent one of the causes of the disease, thus calling for an interdisciplinary approach. The present article describes the state of the art with regard to pathogenesis and therapy of blepharitis.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Blepharitis; Dermatitis; Humans; Practice Patterns, Physicians'; Tetracycline

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Blepharitis; Chloramphenicol; Conjunctivitis; Cortisone; Eye Diseases; Glucocorticoids; Humans; Iritis; Kanamycin; Ophthalmic Solutions; Polymyxins; Rabbits; Streptomycin; Tetracycline

To describe ocular and vascular findings in a patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B.. Case report of a 31-year-old male who was referred for ocular assessment following diagnosis of a carotid artery dissection and multiple vascular anomalies.. Clinical examination revealed a marfanoid habitus, myelinated corneal nerve fibers, neuromas in the perilimbal area, conjunctival hyperemia with peripheral corneal neovascularization, and posterior blepharitis. Diagnosis of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B was confirmed by genetic testing of the RET proto-oncogene. Genetic screening for hereditary aortic and peripheral vasculopathies failed to reveal an underlying cause for the vascular findings. We noted improvement of the ocular surface disease with topical corticosteroids and oral tetracyclines.. Ophthalmologists play a vital role in recognizing this rare but lethal malignancy. We report on a patient with apart from characteristic ocular findings also staphylococcal hypersensitivity and widespread systemic vasculopathy.

Topics: Administration, Ophthalmic; Administration, Oral; Adult; Blepharitis; Cornea; Corneal Neovascularization; Eye Neoplasms; Glucocorticoids; Humans; Male; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2b; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated; Neuroma; Proto-Oncogene Mas; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; Tetracycline

Aspergillus species produces a wide spectrum of fungal diseases like endophthalmitis and fungal keratitis ophthalmologically, but there has been no report about blepharitis caused by Aspergilus flavus to date. Herein, we report a 61-year-old ethnic Han Taiwanese male who had suffered from pain with burning and foreign body sensation after an insect bite on his left eye. Specimens from bilateral eyelids suggested infection of A. flavus, whereas corneal scraping showed the presence of Gram-negative bacteria. He was admitted for treatment of infectious keratitis with topical antibiotic and antifungal eye drops. Two weeks after discharge, recurrent blepharitis and keratitis of A. flavus was diagnosed microbiologically. Another treatment course of antifungal agent was resumed in the following 6 months, without further significant symptoms in the following 2 years. Collectively, it is possible for A. flavus to induce concurrent keratitis and blepharitis, and combined treatment of keratitis as well as blepharitis is advocated for as long as 6 months to ensure no recurrence.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antifungal Agents; Aspergillus flavus; Blepharitis; Eye Infections, Fungal; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Keratitis; Male; Middle Aged; Natamycin; Taiwan; Tetracycline

To assess the visual outcome of childhood blepharokeratoconjunctivitis.. Retrospective noncomparative case series.. We reviewed visual acuity and corneal examination results for 23 patients (mean age 19 +/- 4 years, range, 11 to 26 years) who had healed more than three years previously (up to 15 years).. The disease involved 29 eyes and was unilateral in 17 children. Corneal sequelae (neovascularization or scars) involved 18 eyes (62%) of 15 children (65%). Mean best-corrected visual acuity was 20/25 (range, 20/100 to 20/20). Best-corrected visual acuity was no more than 20/30 in seven eyes (24%) of seven children (30%). Fifteen eyes (52%) of 13 children (45%) had astigmatisms of at least 0.75 diopters attributable to corneal scars.. Corneal and visual sequelae are frequent in childhood blepharokeratoconjunctivitis. Early diagnosis and specific treatment are mandatory.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Blepharitis; Child; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Fusidic Acid; Humans; Keratoconjunctivitis; Macrolides; Male; Retrospective Studies; Tetracycline; Visual Acuity

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Blepharitis; Chronic Disease; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Tetracycline; Tooth Discoloration

Helicobacter pylori is a major pathogen etiologically associated with gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastric cancer, and primary gastric lymphoma. This study was conducted to investigate a possible association between Helicobacter pylori infection and blepharitis. Two hundred fifty consecutive patients with symptomatic blepharitis and 250 control subjects without blepharitis symptoms were evaluated. After exclusions, the blepharitis group consisted of 186 patients with blepharitis and a control group of 215 patients.. Blepharitis was diagnosed on the basis of findings in ophthalmic and dermatologic examinations. All patients underwent a 13C-urea breath test (UBT) to detect H. pylori infection, and impression cytology was performed before and after eradication therapy. The follow-up period was 4 months +/- 28 days.. The blepharitis group showed an H. pylori infection prevalence of approximately 76.3% (UBT-positive group with blepharitis: n = 142 patients), compared with 42.3% of the control group (UBT-positive group with blepharitis [although asymptomatic]: n = 66 patients; UBT-positive group without blepharitis: n = 25 patients). Furthermore, we observed blepharitis in 30.6% (n = 66 patients) of UBT-positive control subjects and 13.4% (n = 29 patients) of UBT-negative control subjects. Impression cytology revealed that blepharitis was more severe in UBT-positive patients than in negative ones, and a clinical improvement in blepharitis was noted in approximately 50% of patients after H. pylori eradication.. Even though possible sources of error in defining the association of two highly prevalent conditions must be considered, the data seem to validate an association between H. pylori infection and blepharitis, but may not be indicative of a causal association. Eradication of H. pylori improved ocular cytology results. It is possible that chronic blepharitis is an extradigestive manifestation of H. pylori infection.

Topics: Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Blepharitis; Breath Tests; Chronic Disease; Drug Therapy, Combination; Eye Infections, Bacterial; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Helicobacter Infections; Helicobacter pylori; Humans; Italy; Male; Middle Aged; Omeprazole; Prevalence; Tetracycline; Tinidazole

Topics: Blepharitis; Child; Child, Preschool; Conjunctivitis; Erythromycin; Humans; Infant; Tetracycline

Tetracycline administered in low doses can be effective in the long-term management of patients with meibomian keratoconjunctivitis (MKC). However, the mechanism of action does not appear to be a reduction of bacteria. Seventy-five percent of the ocular staphylococci in such patients are resistant to tetracycline. An alternative mechanism of action could be the inhibition of production of extracellular enzymes by the ocular flora. Inhibition of lipase production could result in lowered levels of toxic hydrolysis products (free fatty acids), which may exacerbate the disease process. The authors tested this hypothesis by examining the differential effect of tetracycline on growth and lipase production in a tetracycline-resistant and tetracycline-sensitive strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis and S. aureus isolated from patients with MKC and Staphylococcal blepharitis. Tetracycline caused significant decreases in the production of lipase in the sensitive and resistant strains of S. epidermidis without concominant decreases in growth. In contrast, S. aureus strains showed parallel decreases in both lipase production and inhibition of growth. The authors propose that the sensitivity of lipase production to tetracycline, in tetracycline-resistant S. epidermidis, may partially explain the clinical improvement observed in MKC patients.

Topics: Blepharitis; Chronic Disease; Humans; Keratoconjunctivitis; Lipase; Meibomian Glands; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus epidermidis; Tetracycline; Tetracycline Resistance

Topics: Blepharitis; Dexamethasone; Drug Eruptions; Eyelid Diseases; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Sarcoidosis; Tetracycline