Bacterial isolates and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern among patients with external ocular infections at Borumeda hospital, Northeast Ethiopia.
BACKGROUND
Bacteria are major cause of ocular infections and possible loss of vision. The emergence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria increases the risk of treatment failure with potentially serious consequences. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of bacterial isolates and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern among patients with external ocular infections.


METHODS
A cross sectional study was conducted among 160 patients with external ocular infections at Borumeda hospital, Northeast Ethiopia. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected using structured questionnaire. External ocular specimens were collected using sterile swabs and inoculated on MacConkey agar, Chocolate agar and Blood agar culture Medias. Presumptive isolates were further identified by a series of biochemical tests. The antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the isolates were determined by disk diffusion method.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of bacterial pathogens among external ocular samples was 59.4 %. The majority of the isolates (93.7 %; 89/95) were Gram positive and the other 6.3 % (6/95) Gram negative bacteria. The proportion of coagulase negative Staphylococci among the Gram positive bacterial isolates was 53.7 % (n = 51/95). All Gram positive isolates were susceptible for vancomycin but 67.4 % (n = 60/95) of them were resistant against amoxicillin. Moreover, drug resistance to tetracycline, norfloxacylin, ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin were observed among Gram negative bacteria isolates.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of bacterial pathogens among external ocular samples was high and the predominant isolate was coagulase negative Staphylococci. Exceptionally high amoxicillin resistance was observed among Gram positive bacterial isolates that may dictate to conduct drug susceptibility test routinely.
School of Biomedical and Laboratory sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS), University of Gondar (UOG), P.O. box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia. birtukan_sheferaw@yahoo.com.
Birtukan
B
Shiferaw
Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory sciences, CMHS, UOG, P.O. box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia. tedybayegelaw@gmail.com.
Baye
B
Gelaw
Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory sciences, CMHS, UOG, P.O. box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia. abezew@gmai.com.
Abate
A
Assefa
Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, CMHS, UOG, P.O. box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia. assefabi2003@yahoo.com.
Yared
Y
Assefa
Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory sciences, CMHS, UOG, P.O. box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia. addiszelalem151@gmail.com.
Zelalem
Z
Addis
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001762:Blepharitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003234:Conjunctivitis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003607:Dacryocystitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005143:Eyelids / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents