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Ocular conjunctival microbiome profiling in dry eye disease: A case control pilot study.
Noopur Gupta1, Jyoti Chhibber-Goel2, Yogita Gupta1
1Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology
|April 7, 2023
Summary
This pilot study found significant differences in the ocular microbiome of patients with dry eye disease (DED). The bacterial DNA concentration was higher in DED patients, with the Firmicutes phyla dominating.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Microbiology
- Genomics
Background:
- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), or dry eye disease (DED), is a complex condition affecting the ocular surface.
- DED causes discomfort, visual disturbances, and tear film instability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate substantial differences in the ocular microbiome between DED patients and healthy controls.
- To profile the ocular microbiome in DED.
Main Methods:
- 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing of the V4-V5 region was used.
- Bacterial communities in the conjunctiva of 4 DED patients and 4 healthy controls were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes were the dominant phyla.
- Four genera (Acinetobacter, Corynebacterium, Lactobacillus, Pseudomonas) were less abundant in DED patients.
- A higher concentration of microbial DNA was observed in DED patients.
Conclusions:
- The ocular microbiome differs significantly between DED patients and healthy individuals.
- Firmicutes phyla were found to dominate the bacterial population in DED patients.
