BACTERIAL CAUSES AND ANTIMICROBIAL SENSITIVITY PATTERN OF EXTERNAL OCULAR INFECTIONS IN SELECTED OPHTHALMOLOGY CLINICS IN SANA’A CITY

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the current study was to reveal the bacterial profile and pattern of sensitivity to antibiotics for external ocular infections for patients who attended selected ophthalmology clinics in the city of Sana’a. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used from September 2016 to October 2017 where a total of 197 patients with infection of external eye were included in the study which included conjunctivitis, keratitis, blepharitis and Blepharoconjunctivitis. Samples were collected and transferred to the National Center of Public Laboratories (NCPHL), in Sana'a. Possible bacterial pathogens have been isolated and identified using regular laboratory techniques, and microbial sensitivity testing has been carried out using a disc diffusion method. Results: A total of 197 ocular samples were obtained for microbiological evaluation, of these 146 (74.1%) have bacterial growth. Bacteria of Gram positive accounted for 52.1% and the prevalent isolation was S. aureus (30.1%). Gram negative bacteria made up 47.9% and the predominant isolation was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (26.7%). The majority of Gram-positive bacteria were sensitive to ciprofloxacin (90% - 100%), vancomycin (86% - 100%) and Gram-negative isolates sensitive for amikacin (100%) and ciprofloxacin (63% - 100%). Conclusion: These results revealed that Gram-positive bacteria were the generally common bacteria isolated from infections of external eye and were more susceptible to vancomycin and ciprofloxacin while Gram-negative isolates were more susceptible to ciprofloxacin and amikacin.  The high rate of resistance for most antibiotics in Yemen, leaves ophthalmologists with very few options of drugs to treat eye infections. Large-scale ongoing studies in the future should also be conducted in order to monitor the antimicrobial resistance of the external ocular bacterial isolates. Peer Review History: Received 20 May 2020; Revised 25 June; Accepted 4 July, Available online 15 July 2020   UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main purpose of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency. Received file Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 6.0/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.5/10 Reviewer(s) detail: Name: Dr. Jucimary Vieira dos Santos Affiliation: Hemonorte Dalton Barbosa Cunha, Brazil E-mail: jucimaryvieira@yahoo.com.br Name: Dr. Sabah Hussien El-Ghaiesh Affiliation: Tanta University, Egypt E-mail: s.ghaiesh@gmail.com   Comments of reviewer(s): Similar Articles: EPIDEMIOLOGY, BACTERIAL PROFILE, AND ANTIBIOTIC SENSITIVITY OF LOWER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS IN SANA’A AND DHAMAR CITY, YEMEN