Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococci and Ofloxacin-Resistant Bacteria from Clinically Healthy Conjunctivas

Vol. 33, No. 3, 2001

Article (References) Article (PDF 135 KB)

Original Paper

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococci and Ofloxacin-Resistant Bacteria from Clinically Healthy Conjunctivas
Kazuhiko Watanabe^{a, b}, Konomi Numata-Watanabe^b, Seiji Hayasaka^a

^aDepartment of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, and
^bDivision of Ophthalmology, Asahi General Hospital, Toyama, Japan

Address of Corresponding Author

Ophthalmic Res 2001;33:136-139 (DOI: 10.1159/000055659)

Key Words

Conjunctival flora
Methicillin
Ofloxacin
Resistance

Abstract

We evaluated the existence of methicillin (DMPPC)-resistant staphylococci and ofloxacin (OFLX)-resistant bacteria among preoperative patients at an eye clinic. Bacterial growth was studied in 194 conjunctival specimens of 125 preoperative patients without signs of ocular infection. Specimens were evaluated for growth of bacteria on Drigalski’s plates, blood agar plates, or chocolate agar plates for 2 days at 37°C. Susceptibilities of the strain to DMPPX, OFLX, minocycline (MINO), gentamicin (GM), erythromycin (EM), cefmenoxime (CMX), chloramphenicol (CP), and sulbenicillin (SBPC) were determined by the disk diffusion method. When DMPPC-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or DMPPC-resistant coagulase- negative staphylococci (MRCNS) were isolated, the susceptibility of the isolated strains to vancomycin (VCM) was additionally examined by the disk diffusion method. Of the 125 preoperative patients (194 eyes), 109 patients (159 eyes) had positive bacterial growth. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were positive in 1 patient. Methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCNS) were positive in another patient. Two eyes with MRSA or MRCNS growth were treated with topical instillation of VCM, which was more sensitive than MINO and GM. They underwent the planned surgery after two subsequent tests showing negative growth. Of 120 isolated coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) 8 (6.7%) were resistant to OFLX. OFLX-resistant CNS were sensitive to MINO, CMX, and CP, but also resistant to SBPC. Of 114 isolated aerobic gram-positive rods (GPR), 55 (48.2%) were resistant to OFLX. OFLX-resistant aerobic GPR were sensitive to MINO, CMX, SBPC, and DMPPC. The 157 eyes with positive bacterial growth other than MRSA were treated with topical instillation of sensitive antibiotics. The present findings indicate that DMPPC-resistant staphylococci and OFLX-resistant bacteria exist in conjunctivas without signs of infection.

Author Contacts

Kazuhiko Watanabe, MD
Department of Ophthalmology
Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University
2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194 (Japan)
Tel. +81 76 434 7363, Fax +81 76 436 0146, E-Mail ophthal@ms.toyama-mpu.ac.jp

Article Information

Received: Received: July 26, 2000
Accepted after revision: November 28, 2000
Number of Print Pages : 4
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 5, Number of References : 19

Cited in Web of Science®

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