Thressia Thomas

Abstract

Introduction: Dacryocystitis is a threatening ophthalmic problem, which affects patients of every age. It is an inflammation of the lacrimal sac and duct. Acute dacryocystitis, experience severe morbidity while chronic dacryocystitis is rarely associated with morbidity unless caused by a systemic disease. Objective: This study was done to identify and isolate the causative agents of dacryocystitis, detect their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and determine the contributing risk factors. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted for a period of 112 years. Pus samples from 100 patients with dacryocystitis were obtained and processed in the Microbiology laboratory in a tertiary care center. Results: The most common aerobic Gram-positive bacteria were Staphylococcus epidermidis (29.7%) and Staphylococcus aureus (20.3%). The common Gram-negative bacteria were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9.4%) and E coli (9.4%). Gram-positive isolates were most sensitive to vancomycin. Gram-negative isolates were most sensitive to colistin. Conclusion: Higher culture positivity emphasizes the clinicians about the significance of this disease and the need to investigate for the presence of the symptom of nasolacrimal obstruction. The knowledge of bacteriology and antimicrobial susceptibility is necessary for implementation of a management protocol to reduce the cost burden and emergence of drug resistant strains. Keywords: Dacryocystitis, Dacryocystorhinostomy, Epiphora, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Vancomycin.

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