Conjunctival aerobic bacterial flora in Pakistan

ABSTRACT

To evaluate conjunctival aerobic flora in Pakistani population, we cultured cotton swab conjunctival specimens from 3,727 adults and 158 children. Cultures were positive for these bacteria in 185 out of 7,454 adult eyes [2.5%] and 13 out of 316 pediatric eyes [4%]. The average number of bacterial species isolated from the pediatric eyes [0.04%] was greater than that from the adult eyes [0.025%]. The predominant bacterial species in adults was Staphylococcus aureus [39%], followed by the coagulase negative staphylococci [24%]. Both types of organisms were isolated in equal quantity from the eyes of children [23% each]. Streptococcus pneumoniae was found much more frequently in children [15.4%] than in adults [1.08%]. Also, when compared with adults, children had a significantly higher isolation rate for Gram-negative bacterial species [66% in children to 23% in adults]