Blepharokeratoconjunctivitis

Abstract

The microbes isolated in 110 in and out patients ages 1-80 years and who had blepharokeratoconjunctivitis and their sensitivity to antibiotics and chemotherapeutics were presented. Sixty samples (54.5%) showed bacterial, while 7 samples (6.3%) showed fungal involvement. In 6 samples (5.5%), bacteria and Fungus coexisted. Majority of bacterial pathogens were sensitive to common antibiotics while some commonly available antibiotics were not effective on a reasonable number of germs (tables 5 & 6). Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed the highest resistance to available antibiotics while penicillin group of antibiotics had no effect on gram negative pathogens (table 6). Staphylococcus aureus considered the most common cause of ocular infection was isolated in 5 (4.5%) samples, while staphylococcus epidermidis considered non pathogenic was isolated in 16 (14.5%) cases. Fusarium Spp, found in 3 (2.7%) cases was blamed for one hypopion keratitis and one endophthalmitis. Despite the use of such antibiotics and chemotherapeutics like chloramphenicol, erythromycin, tetracycline, and sulfacetamide to which the pathogens were sensitive, blepharokeratoconjuctivitis persisted. The problem of induced pathogenicity, the difficulty in reaching infection reservoirs with antibiotics, the often inadequate dosage of antimicrobes as well as geographical and environmental influences were discussed.

Nigerian Journal of Ophthalmology Vol. 8, No.1 (August 2000): pp 34-38

KEY WORDS: Blepharokeratoconjunctivitis, microbes, pathogenicity Abia/Imo states Nigeria.