Validation of Interleukins and Other Cytokines Together With OCT Imaging for Rapid Infectious Keratitis Assessment

As conventional corneal scraping with bacterial culturing has several disadvantages such as long duration until diagnosis, invasiveness and lacks alternatives, there is demand for a novel non-invasive, rapid test in keratitis management. First aim of this study will be to evaluate the influence of TNF-alpha on Gram+ and Gram- bacteria causing keratitis. Second aim of this study will be to develop an algorithm, that should help to distinguish between different pathogens causing keratitis.

Inclusion Criteria: * Men and women age of at least 18 years to 119 years * Written informed consent prior to study-related procedures * First presentation with keratitis (corneal epithelial ulceration, corneal edema and/or stromal infiltration with inflammatory cells) within 10 days. * Untreated keratitis or keratitis not responding to the given treatment Exclusion Criteria: Subjects will be excluded if one or more of the following criteria apply: * Symptoms for more than 10 days * Presence or history of a severe medical condition as judged by the clinical investigator * Pregnancy, planned pregnancy or lactating