Etiology and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of bacterial conjunctivitis in children at Princess Rahmah Hospital in Jordan

ABSTRACT

bacterial conjunctivitis, chiefly affecting young children, is generally caused by different pathogens. Therefore, this study aims to investigate microorganisms causing bacterial conjunctivitis in children and to assess their sensitivity to various groups of antimicrobial. A retrospective study was conducted on positive cultures taken from 39 children aged below 15 years, who attended as outpatient or inpatient at Princess Rahmah Hospital between January and December/ 2008. The obtained data were analyzed and the results were tabulated. A total of 39 isolates were recovered from cultures obtained from children patients. The male and female isolates ratio was [1.6 1.0]. The most frequent pathogen found was S. aureus [56.4%], followed by Klebsielia spp. [18.0%], Streptococcus spp. [12.8%], Pseudomonas spp [5.1%], E. coli [5.1%] and Moraxella was found in only one culture [2.6%]. Ciprofloxacin had the highest susceptibility rate [90.4%] for all the tested isolates, followed by cefotaxime [72.7%] and vancomycin [71.4%]. Whereas, cefixime showed the lowest susceptibility rate [0.0%] for all the tested isolates. S. aureus was the main isolate of conjunctivitis in children, which almost all isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, and vancomycin. Overall cefixime resistance rate was 100%. This information should be considered when empirical therapy is recommended or prescribed for children with bacterial conjunctivitis