Original article
English
Abdelsalam A. Geilani; Abeir baltomer; Soumeendra Sahoo.
Department of Ophthalmology, Great River Eyes Hospital, Faculty of Med-icine, Garyounis University, Benghazi, Libya.
Libyan J Infect Dis. Vol. 1, No.2. July-2007:120-123
Abstract
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the types of organisms causing bacterial corneal ulcer and their sensitivity to various antibiotics.
Patients and Methods: During the study period of September 2006 to January 2007, a total of 22 patients with corneal ulcers (6 males and 16 females) were recruited prospectively from the eye outpatient clinics of Great River Eye Hospital, Benghazi. Corneal scrapings were collected from each corneal ulcer patient before any antimicrobial therapy started. Isolation of bacteria and their antimicrobial sensitivity was detected in laboratory attached to the hospital.
Results: In the present study there were 6 males (27.3%) and 16 females (72.7%). The patients age ranged between 18 – 65 years. Bacterial cultures were positive in 15 (68.2%) patients. Ten cultures were positive for Staphylococcus aureus (45.4%), 2 (9.1%) for Streptococci, 2 (9.1%) for Pseudomonas and 1 (4.5%) for Staphylococcus epidermidius. Mixed growth was detected in 2 (9.1%) patients. No growth was found in 5 (22.7%) patients. All isolates were sensitive to ciprofloxacin as well as gentamycin and tobramycin.
Conclusion: Staphylococcus aureus was found to be the major offending organism that caused corneal ulcer in the present study. Antibiotics like fluoroquinolone in form of commonly used ciprofloxacin was found to be highly sensitive to the bacterial growths. But at the same time gentamycin and tobramycin were equally effective. These two antibiotics can be used as first line treatment in bacterial corneal ulcer so as ciprofloxacin.
Keywords: Corneal ulcer, infective keratitis, microbial isolates, antimicrobial therapy.
Link/DOI: http://www.nidcc.org.ly/reports/THE%20LIBYAN%20JOURNAL%20OF%20%20Infectious%20Diseases%20V1%20%20No%202-v-finelx/Bacteriological%20study%20on%20corneal%20ulcers_11.pdf