title: Lid flora in blepharitis.
abstract: The microbiologic evaluations of 332 consecutive patients with the primary diagnosis of chronic blepharitis were reviewed and compared to those of 160 control patients. The most commonly isolated organisms from lids with blepharitis were Staphylococcus epidermidis (95.8%), Propronibacterium acnes (92.8%), Corynebacterium sp. (76.8%), Acinetobacter sp. (11.4%), and Staphylococcus aureus (10.5%). Compared to controls, S. epidermidis (p less than 0.01), P. acnes (p less than 0.02), and Corynebacterium sp. (p less than 0.001) were present significantly more often. S. aureus and the isolation of more than one microbial species were not more common in blepharitis patients. Quantitatively, heavy growth, by total and individual species, was significantly more common in blepharitis patients (total, p less than 0.001; S. epidermidis, p less than 0.001, P. acnes, p less than 0.001). These data demonstrate that patients with blepharitis are more likely to have normal skin bacteria on their lids and in greater quantities than nonblepharitis patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of South Florida, School of Medicine, Tampa.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Groden
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodnite
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Genvert
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001762:Blepharitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000382:microbiology; D005143:Eyelids / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies