Microbiological spectrum of post-traumatic endophthalmitis unchanged

The microbiological spectrum in patients with post-traumatic endophthalmitis has remained unchanged over the past 14 years, with Bacillus spp. still the most commonly found infecting organism, and vancomycin remaining the drug of choice for empiric coverage of gram-positive bacteria. Researchers have noted, however, that the susceptibility of gram-negative bacteria to agents such as amikacin and ciprofloxacin has decreased by 10% to 15%, and to ceftazidime, increased by 10.5%.

Researchers conducted this retrospective review on 581 consecutive patients with culture-proven post-traumatic endophthalmitis at L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, India, from January 2006 to March 2013 to evaluate the microbiologic spectrum and antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates in post-traumatic endophthalmitis.

In all, 620 isolates were identified in these patients, comprised of 565 bacteria and 55 fungi. The most common of these isolates was Bacillus spp. (17.1%), followed by Streptococcus pneumonia (16.9%), and coagulase-negative Staphylococci (15.6%). Fourteen years earlier, these researchers reported that the most common bacteria found were Streptococcus spp. (21.6%) and gram-positive coagulase-negative micrococci (18.7%).

Gram-positive isolates were generally susceptible to vancomycin (98.2%). Gram-negative isolates were generally susceptible to gatifloxacin (92.9%); ofloxacin (89.4%); chloramphenicol (88.6%), although Pseudomonas isolates were often resistant; amikacin (83.5%); and ceftazidime (77.2%). According to the authors, 14 years ago, the most sensitive antibiotic for both gram-positive bacteria (95.12%) and gram-negative bacteria (100%) was ciprofloxacin.

To view the abstract of this study, published in the Journal of Ophthalmic Inflammation and Infection, click here.