Vol. 6, Issue 12 (2017)

Background: Conjunctivitis is a prevalent ocular condition among children, with bacterial pathogens being a primary cause of morbidity and school absenteeism. Accurate identification of the causative organisms is crucial for effective treatment and antimicrobial stewardship. This study aimed to determine the common bacterial agents responsible for conjunctivitis in children and assess their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns.

Materials and Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology, Madha Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, from October 2016 to September 2017. Pediatric patients (?12 years) clinically diagnosed with conjunctivitis were enrolled. Conjunctival swabs were collected, cultured on standard media, and isolates were identified using conventional biochemical methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method in accordance with CLSI guidelines. Statistical analysis included chi-square and Fisher's exact tests.

Results: Out of 212 children enrolled, 144 (67.9%) showed positive bacterial growth. The most commonly isolated organisms were Staphylococcus aureus (42.4%), Haemophilus influenzae (18.8%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (13.2%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9.0%). Gram-positive cocci exhibited highest sensitivity to chloramphenicol (87.9%) and moxifloxacin (84.3%), while P. aeruginosa was most sensitive to ciprofloxacin (91.7%). Multi-drug resistance was observed in 16.7% of S. aureus isolates.

Conclusion: Staphylococcus aureus remains the predominant bacterial pathogen in pediatric conjunctivitis. Empirical therapy should be guided by local susceptibility trends to minimize resistance development. Periodic surveillance is essential to inform empirical antibiotic policies.