Speciation of coagulase negative staphylococcus causing bacterial keratitis

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Corneal ulcers are serious eye infections that can lead to vision loss.
• Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are common causes of bacterial keratitis.
• Antibiotic resistance in CoNS complicates treatment strategies for corneal infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To speciate CoNS isolates from corneal ulcers.
• To determine the antibiotic sensitivity patterns of these CoNS isolates.
• To identify effective antibiotic options for treating CoNS-related corneal infections.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-five samples from corneal ulcers were cultured.
• Coagulase-negative staphylococci isolates were identified to the species level.
• Antibiotic sensitivity testing was performed on the identified isolates.

Main Results:

• Thirty-five CoNS isolates were successfully cultured and identified.
• Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most prevalent CoNS species identified.
• The majority of S. epidermidis isolates demonstrated sensitivity to ampicillin and vancomycin.

Conclusions:

• Staphylococcus epidermidis is a significant pathogen in corneal ulcers.
• Ampicillin and vancomycin are effective antibiotics against S. epidermidis causing corneal ulcers.
• Empirical antibiotic selection for CoNS keratitis should consider these findings.