Document 0263
 DOCN  M9650263
 TI    [Coagulase-negative staphylococci in normal and chronically inflamed
       conjunctiva]
 DT    9605
 AU    Grasbon T; Mino de Kaspar H; Klauss V; Augenklinik, Universitat M nchen.
 SO    Ophthalmologe. 1995 Dec;92(6):793-801. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96147371
 AB    This study examines the prevalence of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus
       species in normal and mildly inflamed conjunctiva, their sensitivity to
       antibiotics, and their relationship to the remaining flora. PATIENTS AND
       METHODS: In 99 patients including 9 HIV-positives in an early stage of
       the infection, 100 conjunctival swabs were taken and microbiologically
       investigated for bacteria and fungi. Thirty-four were from healthy eyes.
       40 were from patients with chronic (n = 28) and unspecific (n = 12)
       conjunctivitis, 17 were from patients with a variety of outer
       inflammatory ocular conditions, and 9 were from the HIV group from
       uninfected (n = 6) and infected (n = 3) conjunctivae. Samples from each
       patient were collected with three moistened cotton swabs and directly
       inoculated onto five different agars, followed by immersion into three
       specific culture broths. Staphylococci were identified species-wise, the
       other microorganisms genus-wise. Sensitivity to a broad spectrum of
       antibiotics was determined by agar diffusion tests. OUTCOME:
       Staphylococci were found in 89%, which was the highest prevalence
       genus-wise. Of those, coagulase-negative species accounted for 86%,
       while coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 12% of
       all swabs. In the 86 smears positive for coagulase-negative
       staphylococci, 151 different strains were isolated. In these strains,
       resistance to the 13 tested antibiotics varied from 0% for vancomycin to
       66% for penicillin. Strains which were isolated from patients with
       chronic conjunctivitis showed a greater range of resistance than those
       from normal flora, with significant levels for ciprofloxacin, gentamycin
       and kanamycin (Mann-Whitney) U-test: P < 0.05). All except six strains
       of staphylococci were identified strains represented ten species, of
       which Staphylococcus epidermidis was most prevalent (74%), but only made
       up 70% of all isolated strains of the coagulase-negative staphylococci.
       Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative bacteria were found
       significantly more commonly in patients which chronic conjunctivitis
       than in healthy eyes, while coagulase-negative species of the
       Micrococcaceae family were significantly more prevalent in the healthy
       than in the chronically inflamed conjunctiva (chi-square: P < 0.05).
       CONCLUSION: The conjunctiva can simultaneously host several stems of
       coagulase-negative staphylococci, which differ in regard to species and
       resistance to antibiotics. This variety might indicate a microbiological
       balance of the conjunctiva and be reduced in chronic inflammatory
       conditions. In patients with chronic conjunctivitis the risk for
       multiresistant coagulase-negative staphylococci is increased.
 DE    AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/DIAGNOSIS/MICROBIOLOGY
       Blepharitis/DIAGNOSIS/MICROBIOLOGY  Chronic Disease
       Conjunctiva/*MICROBIOLOGY  Conjunctivitis, Bacterial/*MICROBIOLOGY
       Culture Media  Drug Resistance, Multiple  English Abstract  Female
       Human  Keratoconjunctivitis/DIAGNOSIS/MICROBIOLOGY  Male  Microbial
       Sensitivity Tests  Prospective Studies  Reference Values  Staphylococcal
       Infections/DIAGNOSIS/*MICROBIOLOGY  Staphylococcus/CLASSIFICATION/DRUG
       EFFECTS/ISOLATION & PURIF  Staphylococcus aureus/DRUG EFFECTS/ISOLATION
       & PURIF  Staphylococcus epidermidis/DRUG EFFECTS/ISOLATION & PURIF
       Support, Non-U.S. Gov't  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).