1.Ocular bacterial flora and antibiotic sensitivity among Filipino patients undergoing routine cataract surgery
Terrence L. Cham ; Mario J. Valenton ; Ruben Lim Bon Siong
Philippine Journal of Ophthalmology 2009;34(1):19-22
Objective:
This study determined the most common normal lid-margin and
conjunctival bacterial flora, antibiotic sensitivity, and resistance patterns in
eyes of Filipinos scheduled for routine cataract surgery at a tertiary government
hospital.
Methods:
Lid-margin and conjunctival swab specimens were collected from patients
scheduled to undergo routine cataract-extraction surgery at the Department
of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences of the University of the Philippines–
Philippine General Hospital. The specimens were cultured using standard
technique and those with bacterial growth were tested for antibiotic sensitivity
and resistance using the disc-diffusion method.
Results:
Sixty eyes of 30 patients were sampled, 17 females (57%) and 13 males
(43%), with a mean age of 61.4 12.5 years (range, 37 to 84). Of the 30
patients swabbed, 27 (90%) were culture positive. The most common organism
identified was Staphylococcus epidermidis (24/27, 89%). Bacillus sp. was identified
in 12 (44%) patients. Staphylococcus aureus was identified in 3 (12%) patients.
Results of antibiotic sensitivity testing revealed that 85% or more of the
coagulase-negative staphylococcus isolates were sensitive to moxifloxacin,
gatifloxacin, ciprofloxacin, vancomycin, gentamycin, tobramycin, and
chloramphenicol.
Conclusions
Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most frequently isolated organism in the
eyelid margin and conjunctiva of patients for routine cataract surgery. The
isolates showed high sensitivity to commonly prescribed topical antibiotic
preparations.
Eyelids
;
Conjunctiva