Gram-negative bacteria isolated from external eye infections.

Abstract

In this study the bacteria isolated from eye infections belonged to different groups and showed a varied clinical picture. The pathogenic bacteria, Pseudomonas (15 cases) and Proteus sp. (11 cases), were associated with purulent infections of the conjunctiva and eyelids. These bacteria were resistant to the usual antibiotics, but responded to treatment with gentamicin. The potential opportunistic pathogens, Herellea vaginicola (2 cases), Enterobacter agglomerans (11 cases), Comamonas terrigena (2 cases), Serratia marcescens (2 cases), Escherichia coli (2 cases), Citrobacter freundii (1 case), Citrobacter diversus (1 case), Klebsiella pneumoniae (8 cases), Aeromonas hydrophilia (2 cases), and Enterobacter aerogenes (8 cases), were isolated from keratitis, conjunctivitis, keratoconjunctivitis and keratoiritis. The bacteria were sensitive to the usual antibiotic substances, and all of them responded to chloramphenicol. The Enterobacter aerogenes was almost always found in association with other microorganisms, such as Herpes simplex virus and Candida sp.