Factors Associated With Conjunctival Bacterial Culture Positivity In Pre-Operative Cataract Patients

Abstract

The study aim to determine the risk factors associated with conjunctival culture positivity in patients scheduled for cataract surgery in OAUTHC Ile-Ife. Eighty four consecutive consenting patients scheduled for cataract surgery were recruited into the study. The patients had a structured questionnaire administered, visual acuity assessment, pen torch examination as well as slit lamp bio-microscopy  examination. Conjunctival swab was obtained from the inferior conjunctival fornix of the eye scheduled for surgery using a sterile swab stick. The same was transported in a transport medium to the laboratory where microscopy culture and sensitivity was conducted. A total of 84 patients were recruited into this study, 40 (47.6%) were males and 44(52.4%) were females with a male: female ratio of 1:1 Age ranged postfrom 10 to 88 years with mean age of 57.9 ± 17.1 years. Majority 53(63.1%) had formal education in almost equal proportion by sex. 36 eyes (42.9%) had  positive conjunctival bacterial culture. Coagulase negative staphylococcus (CNS) was the most frequently isolated organism (50.0%). The associated risk factors with conjunctival culture positivity in patients scheduled for cataract surgery were: age 50 years and above (p value=0.004, risk ratio 1.4), male gender (p value=0.032, risk ratio 1.6) and low literacy level (p value=0.031, risk ratio 1.8). It was recommended that elderly, male and illiterate patients undergoing cataract surgery would benefit from extra attention and health education on ocular hygiene by ophthalmologists and other health workers in order to avoid post-operative ocular infections and endophthalmitis

Keywords: Bacteria, Cataract, Culture, Pre-operative, bilateral operable cataract. Risk factors

The Tropical Journal of Health Sciences Vol 19 No 1 (January)