Mycotic Flora in Normal Conjunctival Sac

ABSTRACT

In recent years, numerous cases of intraocular fungal infections have been reported. Mycotic infections of eyes have occurred after surgery, trauma, and topical antibiotics or cortisone therapy, which are considered the infections produced by exogenous origin. To know ocular mycotic infection, the normal fungal flora of the eyes becomes extremely important, because these organisms may be the source of the infection. We cultured, fungi from normal conjunctival sac by Sabouraud glucose agar media at Chonnam National University Hospital and the results obtained as follows. The results were as follows 1. The mycotic flora of the conjunctival sac was investigated in following five groups group I neonates to less than 2months of eyes(44 cases), group II 2 months to 19 years(34 cases), group III 20 to 39 years(84 cases), group IV 40 years and over(95 cases), group V controls(257 cases). 2. Positive cultures were observed in 13.2% of total cases. Cultures from the group I were positive in 2 cases(4.5%), the group II were positive in 8 cases (3.5%), the group III were positive in 9 cases(10.7%), and the group IV were positive in 15 cases(15.8%). The lowest positivity(4.5%) was observed in the group I, and the highst(23.5%) in the group II. 3. There was no significant differences in positive culture rate between male and female group, as 11.4% in male and 15.4% in female group. 4. Fungi cultured were identified as the following species Penicillium SP.(8 cases), Aspergillus SP.(6 cases), Candida SP.(6 cases), Mucor SP.(6 cases), Trichophyton(5 cases) and Cephalosporium SP.(3 cases).