Antibiotic susceptibility of preoperative normal conjunctival bacteria.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the antibiotic susceptibility of preoperative conjunctival bacterial flora.


METHODS
In vitro study.


METHODS
Antibiotic susceptibility of conjunctival bacterial strains isolated from 164 patients undergoing intraocular surgery was determined using the Kirby-Bauer disk-diffusion technique.


RESULTS
Among the 162 bacteria isolated, 124 (76%) were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), with 2% resistant to gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin, and none were resistant to vancomycin or minocycline. Other bacteria isolated were 19 Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), 8 Streptococcus Group D, and 11 gram-negative rods. Most S. aureus (>85%) were susceptible to all antibiotics except for the penicillin and macrolide groups. No streptococci were resistant to gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, mezlocillin, imipenem, or vancomycin. None of the gram-negative rods were resistant to the fluoroquinolones. Approximately one half of all bacteria were resistant to erythromycin. One in three patients harbored multi-resistant bacteria (resistant to > or = five antibiotics).


CONCLUSIONS
Newer-generation fluoroquinolones provide excellent broad-spectrum coverage against conjunctival bacterial flora.
Miño de Kaspar
Herminia
H
Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
Koss
Michael J
MJ
He
Lingmin
L
Blumenkranz
Mark S
MS
Ta
Christopher N
CN
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000382:microbiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents