title: Microbiological features of acute bacterial conjunctivitis in a central Italian area.
abstract: The study aims to identify bacteria causing conjunctivitis in a central Italian area and to analyze chemosusceptibility. From 2005 to 2006, 91 conjunctival swabs were collected from acute conjunctivitis cases and screened for common bacteria and fungi. Susceptibility tests were performed on isolates. Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae amounted to 86.2%. Overall, 100% of strains were susceptible to chloramphenicol and 96.6% to quinolones. Conversely, 20.7% of isolates were tetracycline-resistant and, even if all Gram negative isolates were susceptible to gentamicin, the most frequently isolated pneumococci are constitutively resistant. The study provides support for a rational choice of empiric therapy.
authors.affiliation: Clinica e Laboratorio di Malattie Infettive, Dipartimento di Biologia Molecolare, Università di Siena, Ospedale Le Scotte, Siena, Italy. montagnani2@unisi.it
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montagnani
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malandrini
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stolzuoli
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lomurno
authors.forename: Donato
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Buccoliero
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zanchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003234:Conjunctivitis, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents