title: [Conjunctival microbiota in patients with ocular allergy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate de presence of conjunctival aerobic microbiota in patients with ocular allergy as compared to a control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirty-three patients were evaluated from April to June 2001 and divided into 2 groups. Sixty-three patients with allergic conjunctivitis (without medication) were in group A and 70 patients from the general outpatient clinic were in group B (control group). Samples from the conjunctival sac of the right eye were collected and cultured in solid media (blood, chocolate and Sabouraud agar).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group A, 30 cultures (47.7%) were positive and 6 (8.6%) in group B. Seven bacteria were isolated from group A and 4 from group B. Statistical analysis revealed significant association between positive cultures and allergic conjunctivitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bacterial microbiota was more frequently found in patients with ocular allergy.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Oftalmologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP.
authors.forename: Alexandre Mattoso
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Libório
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Nishiwaki-Dantas
authors.forename: Lycia Mara Jenne
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Mimica
authors.forename: Paulo Elias Correa
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Dantas
authors.forename: Ana Luísa Höfling de
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Lima
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000382:microbiology*; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000382:microbiology*; D003234:Conjunctivitis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification