Dr. S. Lalitha Prajna

Qualification
MD, DNB
Designation
Microbiologist, General Ophthalmology Services
Active Reg.No
54542/TN
Location
Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai

Introduction

Dr. Lalitha graduated in medicine Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai, MD from Madurai Medical College and DNB from Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai.  She joined Aravind Madurai as Ocular Microbiologist in 1998. Her research focuses on the immunopathogenetic mechanisms of fungal and bacterial corneal ulcers. Her other areas of interest are to develop and apply molecular diagnostic techniques in the diagnosis of various ocular infections.

Research & Publications

She has around 45 publications, including national and international to her credit and has authored a textbook on Ocular Microbiology. She has received the award for the best paper published in Bacteriology in the Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology.

  1. Chidambaram JD, Prajna NV, Srikanthi P, Shruti L, Manisha Shah, Elakkiya S, Lalitha P, Macleod D, Burton MJ. Cellular morphological changes detected by laser scanning in vivo confocal microscopy associated with clinical outcome in fungal keratitis. Sci Rep. 2019;9:8334.
  2. Niranjana P, Nithya Lakshmi S, Jeya Maheshwari J, Prajna NV, Lalitha Prajna, Dharmalingam K. Quantitative profiling of tear proteome reveals down regulation of zinc alpha-2 glycoprotein in Aspergillus flavus keratitis patients. Exp Eye Res. 2019;186:107700.
  3. Shait Mohammed MR, Muthu Kumar B, Amrathlal RS, Priyadharshini K, Jeyamaheshwari J, Prajna NV, Lalitha Prajna, Dharmalingam K. Dataset for the spore surface proteome and hydrophobin A/RodA proteoforms of A. flavus. Data Brief. 2019;23:103817.
  4. Rameshkumar G, Sikha M, Ponlakshmi M, Selva Pandiyan A, Lalitha P. A rare case of Myrothecium species causing mycotic keratitis: Diagnosis and management. Med Mycol Case Rep. 2019;25:53-55.
  5. Talbott M, Cevallos V, Chen MC, Chin SA, Lalitha P, Seitzman GD, Lietman TM, Keenan JD. Synergy Testing of Antiamoebic Agents for Acanthamoeba: Antagonistic Effect of Voriconazole. Cornea. 2019;38:1309-1313.
  1. Selva Pandiyan Appavu, Lalitha Prajna, Siva Ganesa Karthikeyan R. Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis of Pythium insidiosum causing human corneal ulcer. Med Mycol. 2019 May 9. [Epub]
  2. Lalitha P, Seitzman GD, Kotecha R, Hinterwirth A, Chen C, Zhong L, Cummings S, Lebas E, Sahoo MK, Pinsky BA, Lietman TM, Doan T. Unbiased Pathogen Detection and Host Gene Profiling for Conjunctivitis. Ophthalmology. 2019;126:1090-1094.
  1. Prajna NV, Srinivasan M, Mascarenhas J, Lalitha P, Revathi R, McClintic SM, O’Brien KS, Ray KJ, Acharya NR, Lietman TM, Keenan JD. Visual impairment in fungal versus bacterial corneal ulcers four years after successful antimicrobial treatment. Am J Ophthalmol. 2019;204:124-129.
  1. Mohammed MRS, Muthu Kumar, Amrathlal RS, Priya K, Jeya Maheshwari J, Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Dharmalingam K. Identification of the proteoforms of surface localized Rod A of Aspergillus flavus and determination of the mechanism of proteoform generation. J Proteomics. 2019;193:62-70.
  2. Ravula Hasika, Lalitha Prajna, Naveen R, Rameshkumar G, Prajna NV, Srinivasan M. Pythium keratitis in South India: Incidence, clinical profile, management, and treatment recommendation. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2019;67:42-46.
  3. Nithya V, Rathinam S, Siva Ganesa Karthikeyan R, Lalitha Prajna. A ten year study of prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern, and genotypic characterization of Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus causing ocular infections in a tertiary eye care hospital in South India. Infect Genet Evol. 2019;69:203–210.
  4. Kannan T, Bharanidharan D, Lalitha Prajna, Vidyarani M. Mechanisms of Fluoroquinolone and Aminoglycoside Resistance in Keratitis-Associated Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microbiol Drug Resis. 2019;25:813-823.
  5. Ray KJ, Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Revathy, R, Thiruvengada Krishnan, Patel, S, Mano Ranjan Das, Shah, R, Dhakhwa, K, McLeod, S D, Zegans, M E, Acharya, N R, Lietman, T M, Rose-Nussbaumer, J, Mycotic Ulcer Treatment Trial Group. The Significance of Repeat Cultures in the Treatment of Severe Fungal Keratitis. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2018;189:41-46.
  6. Chitaranjan Mishra, Lalitha P, Rameshkumar, G, Agrawal, R, Balne, P K, Iswarya, M, Naresh, Kannan B, Kim, R. Incidence of Endophthalmitis after Intravitreal Injections: risk factors, microbiology profile, and clinical outcomes. Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2018;26:559-568.
  7. Chidambaram JD, Prajna NV, Srikanthi, P, Shruti, L, Manisha Shah, Elakkiya, S, Macleod, D, Lalitha, P, Burton, M J. In Vivo Confocal Microscopy Cellular Features of Host and Organism in Bacterial, Fungal and Acanthamoeba Keratitis. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2018;190:24-33.
  8. Grantz KH, Chabaari, W, Samuel, R K, Gershom, B, Blum, L, Worden, L, Ackley, S, Liu, F, Lietman, T M, Galvani, A P, Lalitha, P, Porco, T C. Spatial Distribution of Leprosy in India: an ecological study. Infect Dis Poverty. 2018;7:20.
  9. Chidambaram JD, Prajna NV, Srikanthi, P, Shruti, L, Manisha Shah, Elakkiya, S, Lalitha P, Burton, M J. Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Clinical Outcomes in Severe Microbial Keratitis in South India. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2018;25:297-305.
  10. Lakshey D, Lakshmi Priya, J, Prajna, N V, Lalitha P. Fungal Keratitis caused by Laetisaria Arvalis. Indian J Med Microbiol. 2018;36:140-142.
  11. Cho J, Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Revathy, R, Thiruvengada Krishnan, Lin YB, Ray KJ, Lietman TM, Rose-Nussbaumer J, Mycotic Ulcer Treatment Trial Group. Therapeutic Penetrating Keratoplasty Button Culture in the Mycotic Ulcer Treatment Trial II: a randomized trial comparing oral voriconazole vs placebo. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2018;192:142-145.
  12. Vidyarani M, Sangeetha R, Gowri Priya C, Lalitha Prajna. Autophagy induced by type III secretion system toxins enhances clearance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from human corneal epithelial cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2018; 503:1510-1515.
  13. Rameshkumar G, Ponlakshmi M, Selvapandiyan A, Ramsudharsan R, Krishnan RS, Lalitha P. Fungal keratitis caused by Podospora austroamericana: A first case report. Indian J Med Microbiol. 2018;36:594-596.
  14. Chidambaram JD, Prajna NV, Larke, N, Macleod, D, Srikanthi, P, Shruti, L, Manisha Shah, Lalitha P, Elakkiya, P, Burton, M J. In Vivo Confocal Microscopy Appearance of Fusarium an Aspergillus Species in Fungal Keratitis. Br J Ophthalmol. 2017;101:1119-1123.
  15. Bahl CD, Laurent, J D St, Karthikeyan, R S, Lakshmi Priya, L, Lalitha P, Zegans, M E, Madden, D R.The cif Virulence Factor Gene is Present in Isolates from Patients with Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Keratitis. Cornea. 2017;36:358-362.
  16. Rohan A, Naveen, R, Sayali Pradhan, Srinivasan, M, Prajna NV, Lalitha P. Clinical and Demographic Study of Microsporidial Keratoconjunctivitis in South India: a 3-year study (2013-2015). Br J Ophthalmol. 2017;101:1436-1439.
  17. Ray KJ, Lalitha P, Prajna NV, Revathy, R, Thiruvengada Krishnan, Srinivasan, M, Ryg, R, McLeod, S, Acharya, N R, Lietman, T M, Rose-Nussbaumer, J, Mycotic Ulcer Treatment Trial. The Utility of Repeat Culture in Fungal Corneal Ulcer Management: a secondary analysis of the MUTT I randomized clinical trial group. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2017;178:157-162.
  18. Chidambaram JD, Kannambath, S, Srikanthi, P, Manisha Shah, Lalitha P, Elakkiya, S, Bauer, J, Prajna NV, Holland, M J, Burton, M J.Persistence of Innate Immune Pathways in Late Stage Human Bacterial and Fungal Keratitis: results from a comparative transcriptome analysis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2017;7:193.
  19. Bhagya S, Lalitha P, Lalan Kumar Arya, Rathinam, Sivakumar R. Polymerase Chian Reaction and its Correlation with Clinical Features and Treatment Response in Tubercular Uveitis. Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2017;1-8.
  20. Lalitha P, Sengupta, Sabyasachi, Ravindran, R D, Sharma, Savitri, Joseph, J, Ambiya, V, Das, Taraprasad. A Literature Review and Update on the Incidence and Microbiology Spectrum of Postcataract Surgery Endophthalmitis over Past Two Decades in India. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2017;65:673-677.
  21. Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Srinivasan M. Fungal Keratitis: the Aravind experience. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2017;65:912-919.
  22. Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Revathy, R, Thiruvengada Krishnan, Anita Raghavan, Srinivasan, M, O’Brien, Kieran S, Zegans, Michael, McLeod, Stephen D, Acharya, Nisha R, Keenan, Jeremy D, Lietman, Thomas M, Rose-Nussbaumer, Jennifer, Mycotic Ulcer Treatment Trial Group. Changing Azole Resistance: a secondary analysis of the MUTT I randomized clinical trial. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016;134:693-696.
  23. Zegans ME, DiGiandomenico, A, Ray, K, Naimie, A, Keller, A E, Stover, C K, Lalitha P, Srinivasan, M, Acharya, N R, Lietman, T M. Association of Biofilm Formation, Psl Exopolysaccharide Expression, and Clincal Outcomes in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Keratitis: analysis of isolates in the steroids for corneal ulcers trial. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016;134:383-389.
  24. Lalan Kumar Arya, Rathinam SR, Lalitha P, Usha, Kim R, Sudeep, Ghatani, Tandon, Veena.Trematode Fluke Procerovum Varium as cause of Ocular Inflammation in Children, South India. Emerg Infect Dis. 2016;22:192-200.
  25. Lokeshwari A, Naveen, R, Prajna NV, Lalitha P. Clinical and Microbiological Study of Paediatric Infectious Keratitis in South India: a 3-year study (2011-2013). Br J Ophthalmol. 2016;100:1719-1723.
  26. Lalitha P, Geetha, M, Karpagam, R, Prajna NV, Srinivasan, M, Jeena Mascarenhas, Mano Ranjan Das, Porco, T C, Lietman, T M, Cevallos, V, Keenan, J D. Trends in Antibiotic Resistance in Bacterial Keratitis Isolates from South India. Br J Ophthalmol. 2017;101:108-113.
  1. Chidambaram JD, Prajna NV, Larke, N L, Srikanthi, P, Shruti, L, Manisha Shah, Elakkiya, S, Lalitha P, Carnt, N, Vesaluoma, M H, Mason, M, Hau, S, Burton, M J. Prospective Study of the Diagnostic Accuracy of the In Vivo Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope for Severe Microbial Keratitis. Ophthalmology. 2016;123:2285-2293.
  2. Hammond JH, Hebert, W P, Naimie, A, Ray, M, Van Gelder, R D, DiGiandomenico, A, Lalitha P, Srinivasan, M, Acharya, N R, Lietman, T, Hogan, D A, Zegans, M E. Environmentally Endemic Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Strains with Mutations in lasR are Associated with Increased Disease Severity in Corneal Ulcers. mSphere. 2016;1:e00140-16.
  3. Jeyalakshmi K, Demonte, N L, Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Chitra, T, Jeya Maheshwari, J, Dharmalingam, K. Aspergillus Flavus Induced Alterations in Tear Protein Profile Reveal Pathogen-Induced Host Response to Fungal Infection. J Proteomics. 2016;152.
  4. Jeyalakshmi K. Data Set of Aspergillus Flavus Induced Alterations in Tear Proteome: understanding the pathogen-induced host reponse to fungal infection. Data Brief. 2016;9:888-894.
  5. Lakshmi Priya J, Lalitha P, Vidyarani M. Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Isolated from Post-Cataract Endophthalmitis Patients. Microb Pathog. 2015;78:67-73.
  6. Karthikeyan RS, Vareechon, C, Prajna NV, Dharmalingam, K, Pearlman, E, Lalitha P. IL-17 Expression in Peripheral Blood Neutrophils from Fungal Keratitis Patients and Healthy Cohorts in South India. J Infect Dis. 2015;211:130-4.
  7. Madhu Uddaraju, Jeena Mascarenhas, Mano Ranjan Das, Naveen, R, Keenan, J D, Lalitha P, Prajna NV. Corneal Cross-Linking as an Adjuvant Therapy in the Management of Recalcitrant Deep Stromal Fungal Keratitis: a randomized trial. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2015;160:131-134.
  8. Prajna NV, Lalitha P, O’Brien, K S, Sun, C Q, Acharya, N, Lietman, T M, Rose-Nussbaumer, J, Mycotic Ulcer Treatment Trial Group. Association of Pretreatment with Antifungal Medication and Fungal Resistance in the Mycotic Ulcer Treatment Trial. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2015;133:1210-1211.
  9. Muthu Selvam R, Nithya, R, Narmatha Devi, P, Bhuvana Shree, R S, Valar Nila, M, Demonte, N L, Thangavel, C, Jeya Maheshwari, J, Lalitha P, Prajna NV, Dharmalingam, K. Data Set for the Mass Spectrometry Based Exoproteome Analysis of Aspergillus Flavus Isolates. Data Brief. 2015;2:42-47.
  10. Usha Kim R, Bhagwati W, Lalitha P. Primary Canaliculitis: the incidence, clinical features, outcome and long-term epiphora after snip-punctoplasty and curettage. Saudi J Ophthalmol. 2015;29:274-277.
  11. Hemadevi B, Vidyarani, M, Lalitha P, Bharanidharan, D. Human Corneal MicroRNA Expression Profile in Fungal Keratitis. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2015;56:7939-7946.
  12. Srinivasan M, Jeena Mascarenhas, Revathy, R, Meenakshi, R, Lalitha P, O’Brien, K S, Glidden, D V, Ray, K J, Oldenburg, C E, Zegans, M E, Whitcher, J P, McLeod, S D, Porco, T C, Lietman, T M, Acharya, N R, Steroids for Corneal Ulcers Trial Group. The Steroids for Corneal Ulcers Trial (SCUT): secondary 12-month clinical outcomes of a randomized controlled trial. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2014;157:327-333.e3.
  13. Jeena Mascarenhas, Lalitha P, Prajna NV, Srinivasan, M, Mano Ranjan Das, Sean, S D’Silva, Oldenburg, C E, Borkar, D S, Esterberg, E J, Lietman, T M, Keenan, J D. Acanthamoeba, Fungal, and Bacterial Keratitis: a comparison of risk factors and clinical features. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2014;157:56-62.
  14. Lalitha P, Sun, Catherine Q, Prajna NV, Karpagam, R, Geetha, M, O’Brien, Kieran S, Cevallos, Vicky, McLeod, Stephen D, Acharya, Nisha R, Lietman, Thomas M, Mycotic Ulcer Treatment Trial Group. In Vitro Susceptibility of Filamentous Fungal Isolates from a Corneal Ulcer Clinical Trial. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2014;157:318-326.
  15. McClintic SM, Prajna NV, Srinivasan, M, Jeena Mascarenhas, Lalitha P, Revathy, R, Oldenburg, C E, O’Brien, K S, Ray, K J, Acharya, N R, Lietman, T M, Keenan, J D. Visual Outcomes in Treated Bacterial Keratitis: four years of prospective follow-up. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2014;55:2935-2940.
  16. Nithya V, Logambiga, P, Neelamegam, S, Aju, A, Lalitha P, Vidyarani, M, Bharanidharan, D.Draft Genome Sequences of Staphylococcus Aureus AMRF1 (ST22) and AMRF2 (ST672): ocular methicillin resistant isolates. Genome Announce. 2014;2:1-2.
  17. Lakshmi Priya J, Logambiga, P, Neelamegam, S, Aju, A, Alqarawi, Sami, Lalitha P, Bharanidharan, D, Vidyarani, M. Draft Denome Sequence of an Invasive Multi Drug Resistant Strain Pseudomonas Aeruginosa BK1, Isolated from a Keratitis Patient. Genome Announce. 2014;2:1-2.
  18. Sun CQ, Lalitha P, Prajna NV, Karpagam, R, Geetha, M, O’Brien, K S, Oldenburg, C E, Ray, K J, McLeod, S D, Acharya, N R, Lietman, T M, Mycotic Ulcer Treatment Trial Group. Association between In Vitro Susceptibility to Natamycin and Voriconazole and Clinical Outcome in Fungal Keratitis. Ophthalmology. 2014;121:1495-1500.
  19. Lalitha P, Mano Ranjan Das, Purva, P S, Karpagam, R, Geetha, M, Lakshmi Priya, J, Naresh, Kannan B.Postoperative Endophthalmitis Due to Burkholderiacepacia Complex from Contaminated Anaesthetic Eye Drops. Br J Ophthalmol. 2014;98:1498-1502.
  20. Lalitha P, Prajna NV, Geetha, M, Srinivasan, M, Jeena Mascarenhas, Mano Ranjan Das, D’Silva, S S, Porco, T C, Keenan, J D. Trends in Bacterial and Fungal Keratitis in South India, 2002-2012. Br J Ophthalmol. 2015;99:192-4.
  21. Srinivasan M, Jeena Mascarenhas, Revathy, R, Meenakshi, R, Lalitha P, Ray, Kathryn J, Zegans, Michael E, Acharya, Nisha R, Lietman, Thomas M, Keenan, Jeremy D.Visual Recovery in Treated Bacterial Keratitis. Ophthalmology. 2014;121:1310-1311.
  22. Muthu Selvam R, Nithya, R, Devi, P N, Shree, R S, Valar Nila, M, Demonte, N L, Thangavel, C, Jeya Maheshwari, J, Lalitha, P, Prajna NV, Dharmalingam, K. Exoproteome of Aspergillus Flavus Corneal Isolates and Saprophytes: identification of proteoforms of an oversecreted alkaline protease. J Proteomics. 2014;115C:23-35.
  23. Prajna NV, Thiruvengada Krishnan, Jeena Mascarenhas, Revathy, R, Lalitha P, Srinivasan, M, Anita Raghavan, Oldenburg, Catherine E, Ray, Kathryn J, Zegans, Michael E, McLeod, Stephen D, Porco, Travis C, Acharya, Nisha R, Lietman, Thomas M, Mycotic Ulcer Treatment Trial Group. The Mycotic Ulcer Treatment Trial: a randomized trial comparing natamycin vs voriconazole. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2013;131:422-429.
  24. Borkar DS, Fleiszig, Suzanne M J, Leong, Chelsia, Lalitha P, Srinivasan, M, Ghanekar, Avanti A, Tam, Connie, Li, Wing Y, Zegans, Michael E, McLeod, Stephen D, Lietman, Thomas M, Acharya, Nisha R. Association between Cytotoxic and Invasive Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and Clinical Outcomes in Bacterial Keratitis. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2013;131:147-153.
  25. Ray KJ, Lalitha P, Srinivasan, M, Geetha, M, Karpagam, R, Glidden, David, Oldenburg, Catherine E, Sun, Catherine Q, McLead, Stephen D, Acharya, Nisha R, Lietman, Thomas M. Fluoroquinolone Treatment and Susceptibility of Isolates from Bacterial Keratitis. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2013;131:310-313.
  26. Ananthi S, Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Valar Nila, M, Dharmalingam, K. Pathogen Induced Changes in the Protein Profile of Human Tears from Fusarium Keratitis Patients. PLOS One. 2013;8:1-16.
  27. Rathinam SR, Lalitha P, Lalan Kumar Arya, Praveen Muraly, Shukla, Jyoti, Saxena, Divyasha, Parida, Manmohan. Molecular Diagnosis and Ocular Imaging of West Nile Virus Retinitis and Neuroretinitis. Ophthalmology. 2013;120:1820-1826.
  28. Oldenburg CE, Lalitha P, Srinivasan, M, Revathy, R, Meenakshi, R, Jeena Mascarenhas, Borkar, Durga S, Ray, Kathryn J, Zegans, Michael E, McLeod, Stephen D, Porcol, Travis C, Lietman, Thomas M, Acharya, Nisha R. Emerging Moxifloxacin Resistance in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Keratitis Isolates in South India. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2013;20:155-158.
  29. Prajna NV, Srinivasan, M, Lalitha P, Thiruvengada Krishnan, Revathy, R, Meenakshi, R, Jeena Mascarenhas, Oldenburg, C E, Ray, K J, McLeod, S D, Acharya, N R, Lietman, T M. Differences in Clinical Outcomes in Keratitis Due to Fungus and Bacteria. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2013;131:1088-1089.
  30. Umesh CB, Rathinam SR, Lalitha P, Niraj Agrawal, Renu, P Rajan. Epiretinal Deposits Post Cataract Extraction. Retin Case Brief Rep. 2013;7:359-361.
  31. Oldenburg CE, Lalitha P, Srinivasan, M, Manikandan, P, Jayahar, M Bharathi, Revathy, R, Meenakshi, R, Jeena Mascarenhas, Nardone, N, Ray, K J, Glidden, D V, Acharya, N R. Moxifloxacin Susceptibility Mediates the Relationship between Causative Organism and Clinical Outcome in Bacterial Keratitis. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2013;54:1522-1526.
  32. Balaji K, Thenmozhi, R, Lalitha P, Dhananjeyan, G, Pandian, S K. Comparative Analysis of EMM Types, Superantigen Gene Profiles and Antibiotic Resistance Genes among Streptococcus Pyogenes Isolates from Ocular Infections, Pharyngitis and Asymptomatic Children in South India. Infect Genet Evol. 2013;19:105-112.
  33. Srinivasan M, Jeena Mascarenhas, Revathy, R, Meenakshi, R, Lalitha, Prajna, Glidden, David V, Ray, Kathryn J, Hong, Kevin C, Oldenburg, Catherine E, Lee, Salena M, Zegans, Michael E, McLeod, Stephen D, Lietman, Thomas M, Acharya, Nisha R. The Steroids for Corneal Ulcers Trial: study design and baseline characteristics for the steroids for corneal ulcers trial group. Arch Ophthal.. 2012;130:151-7.
  34. Srinivasan M, Jeena Mascarenhas, Revathy, R, Meenakshi, R, Lalitha P, Glidden, David V, Ray, Kathryn J, Hong, Kevin C, Oldenburg, Catherine E, Lee, Salena M, Zegans, Michael E, McLeod, Stephen D, Lietman, Thomas M, Acharya, Nisha R, Steroids for Corneal Ulcers Trial Group. Corticosteroids for Bacterial Keratitis: the steroids for corneal ulcers trial (SCUT). Arch Ophthal. 2012;130:143-50.
  35. Shukla J, Saxena, D, Rathinam, Sivakumar R, Lalitha P, Joseph, C R, Sharma, S, Soni, M, Rao, P V, Parida, M. Molecular Detection and Characterization of West Nile Virus Associated with Multifocal Retinitis in Patients from Southern India. Int J Infect Dis. 2012;16:e53-9.
  36. Sy Aileen, Srinivasan M, Jeena Mascarenhas, Lalitha P, Revathy, R, Meenakshi, R, Oldenburg, Catherine E, Ray, Kathryn J, Glidden, David, Zegans, Michael E, McLeod, Stephen D, Lietman, Thomas M, Acharya, Nisha R. Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Keratitis: outcomes and response to corticosteroid treatment. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2012;53:267-72.
  37. Nadig S, Nithya, V, Lalitha P, Sarita Kar, Sharma, Savitri, Arakere, Gayathri. Staphylococcus Aureus Eye Infections in Two Indian Hospitals: emergence of ST772 as a major clone. Clin Ophthalmol. 2012;6:165-173.
  38. Lalitha P, Prajna NV, Oldenburg, Catherine E, Srinivasan, M, Thiruvengada Krishnan, Jeena Mascarenhas, Vaitilingam, C M, McLeod, S D, Zegans, M E, Porco, T C, Acharya, Nisha R, Lietman, T M. Organism, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, and Outcome in a Fungal Corneal Ulcer Clinical Trial. Cornea. 2012;31:662-667.
  39. Lalitha P, Lin, C C, Srinivasan, M, Jeena Mascarenhas, Prajna NV, Keenan, J D, McLeod, S D, Acharya, Nisha R, Lietman, T M, Porco, T C. Acanthamoeba Keratitis in South India: a longitudinal analysis of epidemics. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2012;19:111-5.
  40. Reena JC, Lalitha P, Kavitha, R Sivaraman, Kim, R, Umesh Chandra Behera. Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction in the Diagnosis of Acute Postoperative Endophthalmitis. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2012;153:1031-1037.
  41. Dalmon CP, Travis C, Lietman, Thomas M, Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Mano Ranjan Das, Arun Kumar, J, Jeena Mascarenhas, Margolis, Todd P, Whitcher, John P, Jeng, Bennie H, Keenan, Jeremy D, Chan, Matilda F, McLeod, Stephen D, Acharya, Nisha
  42. The Clinical Differentiation of Bacterial and Fungal Keratitis: a photographic survey. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2012;53:1787-91.
  43. Manoharan G, Lalitha P, Jeganathan, L P, Dsilva, S S, Prajna NV. Pantoea Ananatis as a cause of Corneal Infiltrate after Rice Husk Injury – A Case Report. J Clin Microbiol. 2012;50:2163-4.
  44. Lalitha P, Srinivasan, M, Manikandan, P, Jayahar, M Bharathi, Revathy, R, Meenakshi, R, Cevallos, Vicky, Oldenburg, Catherine E, Ray, Kathryn J, Toutain-Kidd, Christine M, Glidden, David V, Zegans, Michael E, McLeod, Stephen D, Acharya, Nisha R, Lietman, Thomas M. Relationship of In Vitro Susceptibility to Moxifloxacin and In Vivo Clinical Outcome in Bacterial Keratitis. Clin Infect Dis. 2012;54:1381-7.
  45. Jeena Mascarenhas, Srinivasan M, Chen, M, Revathy, R, Meenakshi, R, Lalitha P, Oldenburg, C E, Ray, K J, Glidden, D V, Costanza, S, Lietman, T M, Acharya, N R. Differentiation of Etiologic Agents of Bacterial Keratitis from Presentation Characteristics. Int Ophthalmol. 2012;32:531-8.
  46. Lalitha P, Srinivasan M, Revathy, R, Meenakshi, R, Jeena Mascarenhas, Priya, J L, Sy, A, Oldenburg, C E, Ray, K J, Zegans, ME, McLeod, S D, Lietman, T M, Acharya, N R. Nocardia Keratitis: clinical course and effect of corticosteroids. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2012;154:934-939.
  47. Lin CC, Lalitha P, Srinivasan, M, Prajna NV, McLeod, Stephen D, Acharya, Nisha R, Lietman, Thomas M, Porco, Travis C. Seasonal Trends of Microbial Keratitis in South India. Cornea. 2012;31:1123-1127.
  48. Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Jeena Mascarenhas, Thiruvengada Krishnan, Srinivasan, M, Vaitilingam, C M, Oldenburg, Catherine E, Sy, Aileen, Keenan, Jeremy David, Porco, Travis C, Acharya, Nisha R,  Lietman, Thomas M. Natamycin and Voriconazole in Fusarium and Aspergillus Keratitis: subgroup analysis of a randomised controlled trial. Br J Ophthalmol. 2012;96:1440-1441.
  49. Rathinam SR, Lalan Kumar Arya, Usha, Kim R, Lalitha P, Veena Tandon.Novel Etiological Agent: molecular evidence for trematode-induced anterior uveitis in children. Arch Ophthal. 2012;130:1481-1483.
  50. Arun Kannan, Gowri Priya C, Lalitha P, Rathinam, SR. Efficiency of Two Commercial Kits in Serodiagnosis of Leptospiral Uveitis. Indian J Med Microbiol. 2012;30:418-422.
  51. Ananthi S, Santhosh, R S, Valar Nila, M, Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Dharmalingmam, K.Comparative Proteomics of Human Male and Female Tears by Two-Dimensional Electrophoresis. Exp Eye Res. 2011;92:454-463.
  52. Lalitha P, Shaprio, Brett L, Loh, Allison R, Fothergill, Annette W, Prajna NV, Srinivasan, M, Oldenburg, Catherine E, Quigley, David A, Chidambaram, Jaya D, McLeod, Stephen D, Acharya, Nisha R, Lietman, Thomas M. Amphotericin B and Natamycin are not Synergistic In Vitro against Fusarium and Aspergillus spp. Isolated from Keratitis. Br J Ophthalmol. 2011;95:744-745.
  53. Oldenburg CE, Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Thiruvengada Krishnan, Jeena Mascarenhas, Vaitilingam, C M, Srinivasan, M, See, Craig W, Cevallos, Vicky, Zegans, Michael E,

Acharya, Nisha R, Lietman, Thomas M. Clinical Signs in Dematiaceous and Hyaline Fungal Keratitis. Br J Ophthalmol. 2011;95:750-751.

  1. Karthikeyan RS, Leal Jr., S M, Prajna NV, Dharmalingam, K, Geiser, D M, Pearlman, E, Lalitha P.Expression of Innate and Adaptive Immune Mediatros in Human Corneal Tissue Infected with Aspergillus or Fusarium. J Infect Dis. 2011;204:942-950.
  2. Sengupta Sabyasachi, Rajan, Sanjeevani, Ravindranath Reddy, P, Thiruvengada Krishnan, Ravindran, R D, Lalitha P, Vaitilingam, C Manivasagam. Comparative Study on the Incidence and Outcomes of Pigmented versus non Pigmented Keratomycosis. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2011;59:291-296.
  3. Cady KC, White, A S, Hammond, J H, Abendroth, M D, Karthikeyan, R S, Lalitha P, Zegans, M E, O’Toole, G A. Prevalence, Conservation and Functional Analysis of Yersinia and Escherichia CRISPR Regions in Clinical Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Isolates. Microbiology. 2011;157:430-7.
  4. Shapiro BL, Lalitha P, Loh, Allison R, Fothergill, Annette W, Prajna NV, Srinivasan, M, Kabra, Amit, Chidambaram, Jaya, Acharya, Nisha R, Lietman, Thomas M.Susceptibility Testing and Clinical Outcome in Fungal Keratitis. Br J Ophthalmol. 2010;94:384-385.
  5. Prajna NV, Jeena, Mascarenhas, Thiruvengada Krishnan, Ravindranath Reddy, P, Lalitha P, Srinivasan, M, Vaitilingam, CM, Hong, Kevin C, Lee, Salena M, McLeod, Stephen D, Zegans, Michael E, Porco, Travis C, Lietman, Thomas M, Acharya, Nisha R.Comparison of Natamycin and Voriconazole for the Treatment of Fungal Keratitis. Arch Ophthal. 2010;128:672-678.
  6. Kumaragurupari R, Sieving, Pamela C, Lalitha P. A Bibliometric Study of Publications by Indian Ophthalmologists and Vision Researchers, 2001-06. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2010;58:275-279.
  7. Senthilkumari S, Lalitha P, Prajna NV, Haripriya, Aravind, Nirmal, J, Gupta, P, Velpandian, T.Single and multidose Ocular Kinectics and Stability Analysis of Extemporaneous Formulation of Topical Voriconazole in Humans. Curr Eye Res. 2010;35:953-960.
  8. Srinivasan M, Lalitha P, Mahalakshmi, Rajendran, Prajna NV, Jeena Mascarenhas, Chidambaram, J D, Lee, S, Hong, K C, Zegans, M E, Glidden, D V, McLeod, S, Whitcher, J P, Lietman, T M, Acharya, N R. Corticosteroids for Bacterial Corneal Ulcers. Br J Ophthalmol. 2009;93:198-202.
  9. Day S, Lalitha P, Haug, S, Fothergill, A W, Cevallos, G, Vijayakumar, R, Prajna NV, Acharya, N R, McLead, S D, Lietman, T M.Activity of Antibiotics against Fusarium and Aspergillus. Br J Ophthalmol. 2009;93:116-119.
  10. Lalitha P. Nocardia Keratitis. Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2009;20: 318-323.
  11. Chen A, Lalitha P, Srinivasan M, Mahalakshmi, Rajendran, Whitcher, John P, Mcleod, Stephen, Lietman, Thomas M, Acharya, Nisha R. Does In Vitro Susceptibility Predict Clinical Outcome in Bacterial Keratitis. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2008;145:409-412.
  12. Ananthi S, Chitra Thangavel, Bini, Ramachandran, Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Dharmalingam, K. Comparative analysis of the tear Protein Profile in Mycotic Kertitis Patients. Mol. Vis. 2008;9:500-507.
  13. Lalitha P, Vijaykumar, R, Prajna NV, Fothergill, A W. In Vitro Natamycin Susceptibility of Ocular Isolates of Fusarium and Aspergillus Species: comaprision of commercially formulated Natamycin Eye drops to pharmaceutical grade Powder. J Clin Microbiol. 2008;46:3477-3478.
  14. Kim E, Chidambaram, Jaya P, Srinivasan, M, Lalitha P, Wee, Daniel, Lietman, Thomas M, Whitcher, John P, Gelder, Russell N. Prospective Comparison of Microbial Culture and Polymerase Chain Reaction in the Diagnosis. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2008;146:714-723.
  15. Nitin Deshpande, Lalitha P, Krishnadas, R, Jitendra Jethani, Manju Pillai, R, Robin, Alan, Karthik. Helicobacter Pylori IgG Antibodies in Aqueous Humor and Serum of Subjects with Primary Open Angle and Pseudo-Exfoliation Glaucoma in a South Indian Population. J Glaucoma. 2008;17:605-610.
  16. Vasanth M, Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Kannan Mahadevan, Muthukkaruppan, V R. A Pilot Study on the Infiltrating Cells and Cytokine Levels in the Tear of Fungal Keratitis Patients. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2007;55:27-31.
  1. Jayahar M Bharathi, Srinivasan, M, Ramakrishnan, R, Meenakshi, R, Padmavathy, S, Lalitha P. A Study of the Spectrum of Acanthamoeba Keratitis: a three-year study at a tertiary eye care referral center in South India. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2007;55:37-42.
  2. Rathinam SR, Lalitha P. Hypopyon in Leprosy Uveitis. J Postgrad Med. 2007;53:46-47.
  3. Rohini G, Murugeswari, P, Prajna NV, Lalitha P, Muthukkaruppan, V R. Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP-8, MMP-9) and the Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases (TIMP-1, TIMP-2) in Patients With Fungal Keratitis. Cornea. 2007;26:207-211.
  4. Lalitha P, Mamta Tiwari, Prajna NV, Gilpin, Christopher, Karthik Prakash, Srinivasan, M. Nocardia Keratitis: species, drug sensitivities, and clinical correlation. Cornea. 2007;26:255-259.
  5. Rathinam SR, Lalitha P. Paradoxical Worsening of Ocular Tuberculosis in HIV Patients after Antiretroviral Therapy. Eye. 2007;21:667-668.
  6. Lalitha P, Shapiro, Brett L, Srinivasan, M, Prajna NV, Acharya, Nisha R, Fothergill, Annette W, Ruiz, Jazmin, Chidambaram, Jaya D, Maxey, Kathryn J, Hong, Kevin C, McLeod, Stephen D, Lietman, Thomas M. Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Fusarium, Aspergillus, and other Filamentous Fungi Isolated from Keratitis. Arch Ophthal. 2007;125:789-793.
  7. Revathy R, Lalitha P, Anita Raghavan, Manikandan P, Namperumalsamy, P, Prajna NV.Traumatic Lenticular Abscess: Clinical Description and outcome. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2007;144:144-146.
  8. Lalitha P, Rathinam SR, Banushree, R, Mahesh Kumar, Vijayakumar, R, Sathe, P. Ocular Involvement Associated with an Epidemic Outbreak of Chikungunya Virus Infection. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2007;144:552-556.
  9. Vijayalakshmi P, Amala Rajasundari, T, Noela Marie Prasad, Karthik Prakash, Kalpana, Narendran, Meenakshi, R, Muthukkaruppan, V R, Lalitha P, Brown, David, W G. Prevalence of Eye Signs in Congenital Rubella Syndrome in South India: a role for population screening. Br J Ophthalmol. 2007;91:1467-1470.
  10. Lalitha P, Srinivasan M, Prajna NV. Rhodococcus Ruber as a Cause of Keratitis. Cornea. 2006;25:238-239.
  11. Amit Kabra, Lalitha P, Kannan Mahadevan, Prajna NV, Srinivasan, M. Herpes Simplex Keratitis and Visual Impairment: a case series. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2006;54:23-27.
  12. Lalitha P, Prajna NV, Amit Kabra, Kannan Mahadevan, Srinivasan, M.Risk Factors for Treatment Outcome in Fungal Keratitis. Ophthalmology. 2006;113:526-530.
  13. Usha Kim R, Smitha, S, Nagendra Shah, Lalitha P, Rahul Kelkar. Spectrum and the Susceptibilities of Microbial Isolates in Cases of Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction. J AAPOS. 2006;10:469-472.
  14. Vasumathy V, Lalitha P, Velpandian T, Ghose S, Mahalakshmi R, Kim R. Vitreous and Aqueous Penetration of Orally Administered Moxifloxacin in Humans. Eye. 2006;20:1273-1278.
  15. Srinivasan M, Lalitha P, Prajna NV. A Cluster of Cases of Mycobacterium Chelonei Keratitis following Penetrating Keratoplasty. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2005;53:67-68.
  16. Haripriya Aravind, Lalitha P, Minu, M Mathen, Prajna NV, Kim, R, Shukla, Dhananjay, Natchiar, G, Srinivasan, M. Nocardia Endophthalmitis after Cataract Surgery: clinicomicrobiological study. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2005;139:837-846.
  17. Smitha S, Lalitha P, Prajna NV, Srinivasan, M. Susceptibility Trends of Pseudomonas Species from Corneal Ulcers. Indian J Med Microbiol. 2005;23:168-171.
  18. Lalitha P, Jyothsna, Rajagopalan, Karthik Prakash, Kim, R, Prajna NV, Srinivasan, M. Postcataract Endophthalmitis in South India: incidence and outcome. Ophthalmology. 2005;112:1885-1890.
  19. Praveen K Nirmalan, Lalitha P, Prajna NV. Can Antiseptic Scrubs between Cataract Surgeries Reduce Bacterial Load on Surgical Gloves to Safe Levels. Br J Ophthalmol. 2004;88:438-439.
  20. Lalitha P, Rathinam, Sivakumar R and Srinivasan, M. Ocular Infections Due to Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria. Indian J Med Microbiol. 2004;22:231-237.
  21. Prajna NV, Praveen K Nirmalan, Mahalakshmi, Rajendran, Lalitha P, Srinivasan, M. Concurrent Use of 5 Percentage Natamycin and 2 Percentage Econazole for the Management of Fungal Keratitis. Cornea. 2004;23:793-796.
  22. Vijayalakshmi P, Anuradha, Rajamanickam, Karthik Prakash, Kalpana, Narendran, Meenakshi, R, Lalitha P, Brown, David, Robertson, Susan E. Rubella Serosurveys at Three Aravind Eye Hospitals in Tamil Nadu, India. Bull World Health Organ. 2004;82:259-264.
  23. Prajna NV, Rajesh Kumar John, Praveen, K Nirmalan, Lalitha P, Srinivasan, M.A Randomised Clinical Trial Comparing 2 Percentage Econazole and 5 Percentage Natamycin for the Treatment of Fungal Keratitis. Br J Ophthalmol. 2003;87:1235-1237.
  24. Rathinam SR, Lalitha Prajna, Minu, M Mathen, Prajna NV, Srinivasan, M. Endogenous Nocardial Scleral Abscess: a case report. Asia Pacific J. 2002;14:32-34.
  25. Prajna NV, Rema Rao, A, Minu, M Mathen, Lalitha P, Celine George, Srinivasan, M. Simultaneous Bilateral Fungal Keratitis caused by Different Fungi. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2002;50:213-214.