The characterisation of clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
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Of 166 strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from hospital patients and staff in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, 32% were non-typable (NT). The strains were isolated from skin lesions, eye infections, wounds and nasal flora. Isolates from skin lesions or eye and wound infections were more likely to produce protease (95% and 78% respectively) than nasal isolates (11%). Nearly all (99%) of the strains isolated were resistant to penicillin and 78% were resistant to tetracycline. Streptomycin resistance occurred in 25% of isolates; 19% were resistant to chloramphenicol and 9% to methicillin. (+info)
Evidence-based treatment of acute infective conjunctivitis: Breaking the cycle of antibiotic prescribing.
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OBJECTIVE: To discover the best treatments for acute infective conjunctivitis and to discern whether antibiotics are necessary for the resolution of bacterial conjunctivitis in particular. QUALITY OF EVIDENCE: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic reviews were searched. Findings were limited to full-text articles from core clinical journals in the English language, and are based on level I or level II evidence. Clinical Evidence was also searched, from which moderate-quality results have been cited. MAIN MESSAGE: Infective conjunctivitis should be managed conservatively, with antibiotics prescribed either after a delayed period if symptoms do not improve within 3 days of onset, or not at all. This approach helps to prevent the medicalization of the condition (reducing consultations for future occurrences) and discourages the unnecessary use of antibiotics, which might delay diagnosis of other serious red eye conditions. Physicians and patients should be educated on the self-limiting nature of the condition to increase compliance with conservative treatment and change the management expectations of parents and schools. CONCLUSION: Acute infective conjunctivitis is the most common ocular complaint dealt with in family practice; its viral and bacterial etiologies are difficult to distinguish on clinical grounds alone. Evidence suggests that properly educating patients with written information materials is the most effective way to manage this simple ailment and increase patient satisfaction. (+info)
Assessment of Streptococcus pneumoniae capsule in conjunctivitis and keratitis in vivo neuraminidase activity increases in nonencapsulated pneumococci following conjunctival infection.
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Ocular leprosy in institutionalized Nigerian patients.
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OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at presenting the profile of ocular lesions observed in the in-mates on multidrug treatment, of a leprosy rehabilitation centre in Nigeria. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. METHOD: One hundred patients were selected by systematic random sampling. Sixty-nine had ocular involvement and were the subjects of this study. The age range was 15 to 80 years with a mean age of 51 years. There were 57 males (82.6%) and 12 females (17.4%). The range of duration of treatment was two months to 30 years, with a mean of 15 years. Examination of the anterior and posterior segments of the globe and its adnexa was carried out using Penlight, magnifying loupe and direct ophthalmoscope. Visual acuity was recorded using the Snellen charts. RESULTS: Lepromatous leprosy patients had the greatest incidence of ocular lesions. Ocular lesions were more in patients who have had leprosy for >/= 15 years. Madarosis (72.5%) and lagophthalmos (29.0%) were the commonest lesions. Corneal involvement was seen in 36.2%. Conjunctivitis in 14.5% . Trichiasis in 10.1% and ectropion in 8.7% . 17.4% were legally blind (VA+info)