PREVALENCE OF BACTERIAL CONJUNCTIVITIS IN PATIENTS REFERRED TO EYE SPECIALIST HOSPITALS IN KASHAN, IRAN

Background and Aim:Bacterial Conjunctivitis is a general non-traumatic disease of the eye characterized by pain, conjunctival hyperemia and discharge. It is an ordinary condition in children and adults and be able to be caused by a range of bacterial agents. We conducted a study to determine prevalence of bacterial conjunctivitis in patients referred to eye specialist hospitals in Kashan.Methods:Conjunctival swab specimens were obtained from 200 conjunctivitis patients attending the Ophthalmology out-patient and in-patient department and were processed by inoculation on Blood agar, MacConkey agar and Chocolate media, Gram staining and various biochemical tests for identificationResults:Of the 200 conjunctival samples, 193 bacterial pathogens were detected; including 103(53.3%) Coagulase- negative staphylococci, 55(28.4%) Staphylococcus aureus, 6(3.1%) Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 6(3.1%) micrococcus, 5(2.5%) Streptococcus pneumoniae, 4(2.07%) Klebsiella species, 2(1.03%) bacillus cereus, 2(1.03%) diphtheroid, 2 (1.03%) Proteus mirabilis, 1(0.51%) Escherichia coli, 1(0.51%) Streptococcus viridance, 1(0.51%) streptococcus pyogenes, 1(0.51%) enterobacter, and 1(0.51%) salmonella.Conclusion:There is a high frequency of bacterial conjunctivitis at the eye referred to specialist hospitals with the commonest causes being Coagulase- negative Staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus.

Keywords:

Conjunctivitis , Prevalence , Eye Infections- Bacterial , Staphylococcus