Author:
Sale Kumurya Abdulhadi,Abdulaziz Lawan Khadija
Abstract
The eye, a functionally and structurally complex organ, experiences a variety of bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections. Bacteria are major causative agents of eye infections that can lead to loss of vision. The objective of this study was to determine the bacterial etiologic agents associated with ocular infections, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of incriminated isolates and associated factors among patients who visited the eye unit of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) and Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital (MMSH). A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at MMSH and AKTH from 25 May 2021 to 20 July 2021. Specimens from the ocular areas were collected from a total of 88 patients who visited the eye unit. Specimens were inoculated on blood agar, chocolate agar, MacConkey agar and mannitol salt agar. Isolated bacteria were identified by a series of biochemical tests using the standard bacteriological method. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute by disk diffusion method. Factors that could be associated with ocular infection were collected by using structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 16.0 software package. A P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Out of the total 88 study participants with ocular infections, 78 (88.6%) were culture-positive. The proportions of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were 28 (31.8%) and 60 (68.2%), respectively. Among Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus were predominant. Among Gram-negative bacteria, Heamophillus influenzae were predominant. Most of the isolates were susceptible to ofloxacin and resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. Majority of ocular infections in this study were caused by bacteria; Gram-negative bacteria were responsible for most cases.