title: Bacteriological profile of ophthalmic infections in an Israeli hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find the optimal antibiotic treatment for ophthalmic infections in an Israeli hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective study from our laboratory, which serves as both a primary and secondary referral center, we analyzed the bacteriological profile and the antibiotic sensitivity of ophthalmic infections using the computerized laboratory reports of 331 consecutive ophthlamic bacteriological cultures from patients with various ophthalmic infections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Microbiological growth was obtained in 113 samples (34.1%). The most commonly isolated organism was coagulase-negative staphylococcus (19.5%), followed by coagulase-positive staphylococcus (16.8%), Enterobacteriaceae (14.2%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13.3%), and streptococcal species (8.9%). Pseudomonas species were the most common isolates from the lacrimal pathways (20.0%). Streptococci were the most common isolates cultured from the conjunctiva (27.3%). Coagulase-positive staphylococcus was the most common isolate from corneal ulcers (33.3%), and coagulase-negative staphylococcus from the vitreous (30.8%). The overall antibiotic sensitivity of common ophthalmic pathogens was similar to that reported from other parts of the world.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although essentially similar to previous series, this report from the Middle East differs as follows. Firstly, Pseudomonas species were the most common isolates from the lacrimal pathways. Secondly, the overall rate of streptococcal isolates was lower than in previous reports. Thirdly, streptococcal species were rarely isolated from corneal samples. Although other studies from the region have described the causative organisms of ocular infections in specific ocular sites, this is the first study from the Middle East to summarize the full bacteriological profile of ocular infections in one medical center.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mezer
authors.forename: Y A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Gelfand
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lotan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamir
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000382:microbiology; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology; D015817:Eye Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000382:microbiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents