Abstract:
Purpose: To determine the microbial contaminants and its clinical importance in topical diagnostic
ophthalmic medications (cycloplegics/mydriatics and miotics) in eye clinics in Ghana.
Method: A cross-section of eye clinics was sampled for the diagnostic agents (Atropine, Phenyle-
phrine, Tropicamide and Cyclopentolate, Pilocarpine). Standard laboratory procedures and
protocols were observed in culturing the samples on different Agars. Microscopy and various
biochemical tests were performed to identify microbial species. Antimicrobial susceptibility
testing was also performed to ascertain the clinical importance of the isolated microbes.
Results: A total of 113 samples were obtained, from which 334 bacteria were isolated which
included Bacilli spp. 91(27.25%), Coagulase Negative Staphylococci spp. 59(17.66%), Moraxella
spp. 47(14.07%), Staphylococcus aureus 41(12.27%), Streptococcus spp. 21(6.29%), Klebsiella
spp. 20(5.99%), Pseudomonas spp. 13(3.89%), Proteus spp. 12(3.59%), Escherichia coli. 12
(3.59%), Serratia spp. 10(2.99%), Shigella spp. 7(2.09%), Salmonella spp. 1(0.3%). There
were 96 isolated fungal contaminants mainly Penicillium spp. 41(42.71%), Cephalosporium
spp. 19(19.79%), Cladosporium spp. 15(15.63%), Aspergillus spp. 13(13.54%), Cercospora spp.
8(8.33%). The diagnostic agent with the most bacteria contamination was Phenylephrine 90
(26.95%) and the least being Pilocarpine 49 (14.67%). Also, the diagnostic agent with the most
fungal contamination was Cyclopentolate 29 (30.2%) and the least was Tropicamide and Pilo-
carpine with 15 (15.63%) each. Gentamicin and Ciprofloxacin were the only antibiotics that
showed 100% activity against all the bacterial isolates. Fungal contaminants were more susceptible
to Ketoconazole as compared to Fluconazole.
