Abstract
Purpose: :
To determine the ocular bacterial flora in pacients with Stevens–Johnson Syndrome (SSJ).
Methods: :
A prospective study of the conjunctival bacterial flora was performed in 41 eyes of 22 patients with Stevens–Johnson syndrome. Were assessed patient's sex, age, time of disease, cause of SSJ, surgical and clinical treatments. Scrapings of inferior conjunctival fornix and eyelids were performed in both eyes. Forteen days before scraping, the patients were asked to interrupt all topical medication and start 0.5% non–preserved methylcelulose. The samples were inoculated on blood and chocolate agar plate and thioglycollate broth to evaluate microbiological growth. Conjunctival cytology was also performed.
Results: :
Bacterioscopy was positive in 39 eyes (95%) and negative in 2 eyes (5%). Cultures were positive for: Staphylococcus coagulase negativa (19 eyes), Corynebacterium spp (12 eyes), Streptococcus hemolítico grupo viridans (8 eyes), Staphylococcus aureus (8 eyes), Enterobacter spp (4 eyes), Serratia nonliquefaciens (4 eyes), Escherichia coli (2 eyes), Morganella morganii (2 eyes), Proteus mirabilis (2 eyes), Haemophilus spp (2 eyes).
Conclusions: :
Patients with Stevens–Johnson syndrome have a diverse conjunctival flora with many pathogenic species. Prophylatic topical antibiotic may be indicated before any ocular surgical procedure in these cases.
Keywords: conjunctiva • microbial pathogenesis: clinical studies • cytology