Microbiological profile and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the isolates in dacryocystitis: A prospective study in a tertiary care hospital

Dacryocystitis is a threatening ophthalmic problem, which affects patients of every age. Itis an inflammation of the lacrimal sac and duct. Acute dacryocystitis, experience severe morbidity whilechronic 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 theirantimicrobial susceptibility pattern and determine the contributing risk factors.Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted for a period of 112years. Pus samplesfrom 100 patients with dacryocystitis were obtained and processed in the Microbiology laboratory in atertiary 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-negativeisolates were most sensitive to colistin.Conclusion: Higher culture positivity emphasizes the clinicians about the significance of this disease andthe need to investigate for the presence of the symptom of nasolacrimal obstruction. The knowledge ofbacteriology and antimicrobial susceptibility is necessary for implementation of a management protocol toreduce the cost burden and emergence of drug resistant strains.Keywords: Dacryocystitis, Dacryocystorhinostomy, Epiphora, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Vancomycin.