Bacteriology of mucopurulent conjunctivitis [MPC]

ABSTRACT

This study included forty-six cases diagnosed clinically as MPC. Conjunctival samples were taken from each patient for a Gram-stained direct smear and for inoculation on blood agar and chocolate agar media. Identification of the isolated organisms was done by special tests specific for each organism. Haemophilus influenza was recovered from 13% of cases, H. aegyptius from 11% of cases. The serotyping of the Haemophilus strains yielded the following results% 19were H. influenzae type b, 9% were H. influenzae type a, c, d, e or f, 27% were untypeable H. influenzae, 45% were H. aegyptius. Pneumococci play a role in the aetiology of conjunctivitis in Egypt, especially in winter. They were isolated from 17% of cases. Also diphtheroids were isolated in pure form from 3 cases [7%] and B. catarrhalis from 2 cases [4%]. No inclusion bodies have been found in the 15 patients by Leishman stained film. However, this does not exclude the presence of trachoma since inclusion bodies may be very few to be detected