ASSESSMENT OF OCULAR BACTERIAL FLORA AND ANTIBIOTICS SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN

ABSTRACT

Artificial eyelash has become a common practice for enhancing beauty among women. It involves the attachment of synthetic eyelashes to the natural lashes or eyelid margin using glue. Bacteria flora is community of bacteria that exists on or in the body and under normal circumstances do not cause diseases. The intermittent fixing of artificial lashes may interfere with the ocular bacterial flora. This study was carried out to examine the ocular bacterial flora and antibiotics susceptibility pattern in habitual artificial eyelash wearers and compare them with non-wearers of artificial lashes. A data collection form was used to obtain participants demographics. Thereafter, samples were obtained from the conjunctival fornix of the right eye. Within 4-6hours of collection, the obtained samples were transported under aseptic condition to the laboratory for analysis. The samples were inoculated on MacConkey agar and nutrient agar. The microbes isolated were identified using standard microbiological and biochemical techniques. Antibiotics susceptibility test was performed to ascertain the sensitivity or resistant status of each isolate. A total of 34 participants with a mean age of twenty-one years (21.74+2.064) participated in this study. Observations from this study showed that the conjunctival bacterial flora of artificial eyelash wearers was similar to the conjunctival bacterial flora of a matched control group of non-wearers of artificial lashes. However, artificial eyelash wearers had lower ocular bacteria flora count compared to non-wearers. These changes to conjunctival flora may contribute to the increased risk of ocular infection associated with artificial eyelash wear.