Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of MicroOrganisms Associated with Ocular Infections

Background and Objective: Ocular infections in man are the contamination and invasion of ocular tissues by microorganisms leading to the breakdown of the natural defense mechanisms of the eyes. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of microorganisms associated with ocular infections. Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted at four (4) tertiary hospitals in Abia State. Ocular specimens were collected from 500 patients. Subsequent identification was done based on morphology and biochemical tests. Susceptibility pattern of the isolates were done using the disk diffusion method. Results: The prevalence of ocular infection was 264(52.8%). Conjunctivitis was the most prevalent ocular infection of 105(39.8%) followed by Blepharitis 76(28.8%). S. aureus was the most prevalent pathogen 63(23.9%) followed by CoNS 36(13.6%). S. aureus was 100% sensitive to vancomycin and chloramphenicol. CoNS were also 100% sensitive to ciprofloxacin, vancomycin and chloramphenicol. K pneumoniae was 100% sensitive to gentamicin and Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid while N. gonorrhoeae was 100% sensitive to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cefotaxime. The overall MAR bacteria were 38(16.2%). Conclusion: The prevalence of ocular infection was high with Conjunctivitis being the dominant. The dominant bacteria species were S. aureus and CoNS. The overall MAR bacteria proportion was relatively high. The findings in this study calls for CoNStant bacterial surveillance before starting empirical treatment