Bacterial corneal ulcer (BCU) is an infection that results into loss of vision (approx. 10%) and blindness. BCU requires constant attention since antibiotic treatment failure due to genetic alteration is common in microorganisms but the present study confirms that the ineffective treatment of corneal blindness is due to this novel bacterium. Around 300 corneal scrapings were performed in patients presenting with corneal ulcers from ophthalmology hospitals, government hospitals, and clinical laboratories of different places in Maharashtra, India. The novel pathogenic bacterium, i.e., Pseudomonas gessardii, was isolated from corneal ulcer samples from patients and identified using molecular characterization. The most common risk factors associated with BCU are contact lens and trauma. The pathogen produces a pyoverdine pigment, nitric oxide scavenger, exhibiting antioxidant activity. The novel bacterium is sensitive to the fluoroquinolones group of antibiotics and tobramycin. It is necessary to diagnose corneal ulcers at an early stage to reduce the probability of permanent loss of eye sight and corneal structural damage.
Key words: Bacterial corneal ulcer, Pseudomonas gessardii, genotypic identification, Antibiotic sensitivity and resistance pattern, pyoverdine, pigment extraction.
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