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Microbial contamination of donor eyes
A Panda1, S K Angra, K Venkateshwarlu
1Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS, New Delhi, India.
Japanese Journal of Ophthalmology
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Bacterial contamination affects over 24% of donor eyes. Gentamicin treatment is recommended to prevent microbial contamination in cadaver eyes before and after enucleation.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Donor eye integrity is crucial for transplantation success.
- Microbial contamination poses a significant risk to graft viability.
Observation:
- A study analyzed 1,516 donor eyes for bacterial contamination between 1973-1985.
- Bacterial cultures revealed contamination in 24.1% of eyes.
- Predominant contaminants included Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus albus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Findings:
- Bacterial contamination was identified in 21.8% of eyes, with fungal contamination in 2.3%.
- Gentamicin demonstrated the broadest sensitivity against isolated organisms.
- Chloramphenicol showed effectiveness against a narrower spectrum of microbes.
Implications:
- Pre- and post-enucleation treatment of donor eyes with gentamicin is recommended.
- This protocol aims to reduce microbial load and improve donor eye suitability.
- Implementing gentamicin prophylaxis may enhance corneal transplant outcomes.
