Isolation of Aerobic Bacteria Associated With Eye Infection and Their Susceptibility to Antimicrobial Agents

Abstract

Bacterial agents that caused ocular infection were studied in 160 patients. The age of patients ranged between 3 months- and 80 years. The prevalence of different types of eye infection was reported as conjunctivitis (38%), blepharitis (36%), blepharoconjunctivitis (18%), daciyocystitis (3%), and keratitis (2%). The prevalence was found to be 117 (73%) in males and 43 (27.8%) in females. The most susceptible age group was found between 3 months — l0 years than other age groups. The anaerobic culturing revealed isolation of only facultative anaerobic bacteria. The aerobic growths were identified as gram positive bacteria which were further identified as Staphylococcus aureus (37%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (37%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (10%), Streptococcus pyogcncs (3.3%), Streptococcus viridans (2%), Bacillus sublilis (7.6%), and Corynebacterium d/phlheriae (4.3%). Gram-negative bacteria were identified as lclehsic/la pneumoniae (26.4%), l?.coIi (16.1%), Entcrobaclcr spp (16.1%), Haemophilus influenzac (14.9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (10.3%), Cromobacterium violaccum (6.9%), Citrobacterfrezmdii (4.6%), and Aclionbacillus spp (4.6%). The sensitivity of these organisms against different antibiotics was studied. The results showed that some bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and E.c0li developed a resistance towards some antibiotics, like Cioxacillin, Ampicillin / sulbactam, co-trimoxazole. These results were compared with those using penicillin and chloramphenicol eye drops for the treatment of ocular infection beside other antibiotics.