Normal Ocular Bacterial Flora in Northern Thais

Winai Chaldaroon, M.D.
Pattamaporn Surawongsin, M.D.
Sumalee Pruksakorn, PhD.

ABSTRACT Purpose : To describe normal ocular bacterial flora in northern Thais and evaluate the interrelationship between bacteria found on the eyelid margin and conjunctival fornix.
                   Methods : A prospective study was conducted of 108 consecutive patients who had extracapsular cataract extraction or phacoemulsification. Anaerobic and aerobic bacterial isolation and identification were performed from the eyelid margin and conjunctival fornix.
                   Results : Mean age of the 108 patients was 66.6 years ? 10.4 (SD) (range 35 to 90 years). Cultures were positive from 51% of conjunctival fornix swabs ; and 80% of the positive cultures were Staphylococcus haemolyticus. Eighty-three percent of the specimens obtained from the eyelid margin wrer positive cultures ; and 93% of the positive cultures were Staphylococcus haemolyticus. There were significant differences in the positive cultures of all bacterial isolation between conjunctival fornix and eyelid margin specimens (P = 0.0001).
                   Conclusion : Staphylococcus haemolyticus is a predominant ocular bacterial flora found in both the conjunctival fornix and eyelid margin. This pilot study may be a useful guideline for prophylactic preoperative antibiotic selection.

Thai J Ophthalmol 2001 ; January-June 15(1) : 9-15.

Key words : normal ocular bacterial flora, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphyloccus epidermidis, Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus aureus.