Characteristics of the bacterial flora in the conjunctival sac of cats from Poland.

OBJECTIVES To assess the bacterial flora of the conjunctival sac in clinically healthy cats and cats with signs of conjunctivitis. METHODS A total of 324 conjunctival swabs were examined between 2011 and 2012 taken from 60 animals, 30 of which were clinically healthy and 30 with signs of chronic conjunctivitis. The samples were taken three times at 4-week intervals from the clinically healthy cats. The samples from the cats with conjunctivitis were taken before and 4 weeks after cessation of successful therapy. Swabs from both the right and left eye of each cat were subjected to microbiological examination and polymerase chain reaction for the presence of DNA of Chlamydophila felis and Mycoplasma felis. RESULTS There was no qualitative difference in the eye microflora between the clinically healthy animals and those with signs of conjunctivitis. Staphylococcus epidermidis (21 · 9%) was the most common microorganism isolated and it was more commonly detected in swabs from cats with conjunctivitis (P < 0 · 0001) as was Staphylococcus aureus (P = 0 · 07). The presence of C. felis was significantly correlated with (P < 0 · 0001) signs of conjunctivitis and was detected in 25% of swabs collected from both conjunctival sacs. No DNA of M. felis was detected in any swab. None of the animals had sterile conjunctival sacs in all consecutive bacteriological tests. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The conjunctival sac in cats was sterile in over 50% of the clinically healthy cats and 25% of the cats with conjunctivitis. The sterility did not persist for longer than 4 weeks. Positive bacterial cultures occur in cats with and without clinical signs of conjunctivitis.

[1]  Z. Kiełbowicz,et al.  First molecular characterisation and identification of a Chlamydophila felis from urban cats in Wroclaw, Poland , 2011 .

[2]  A. Iovieno,et al.  The role of microbial flora on the ocular surface. , 2009, Current opinion in allergy and clinical immunology.

[3]  Hee-Myung Park,et al.  Prevalence of feline herpesvirus 1, feline calicivirus and Chlamydophila felis in clinically normal cats at a Korean animal shelter , 2008, Journal of veterinary science.

[4]  J. Brownlie,et al.  Development of a polymerase chain reaction for the detection of Mycoplasma felis in domestic cats. , 2004, Veterinary microbiology.

[5]  M. Loeb,et al.  The management of infection and colonization due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: A CIDS/CAMM position paper. , 2004, The Canadian journal of infectious diseases = Journal canadien des maladies infectieuses.

[6]  D. Harbour,et al.  Detection of Chlamydophila felis and Feline Herpesvirus by Multiplex Real-Time PCR Analysis , 2003, Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

[7]  A. Esteves,et al.  Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of staphylococci isolated from saliva of clinically normal cats , 1999, Letters in applied microbiology.

[8]  W. Lilenbaum,et al.  Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of staphylococci isolated from the skin surface of clinically normal cats , 1998, Letters in applied microbiology.

[9]  W. Lilenbaum,et al.  Prevalence of bacteria in the conjunctival sac and on the eyelid margin of clinically normal cats. , 1996, The Journal of small animal practice.

[10]  Y. Tohya,et al.  Characterization of the most frequently encountered Staphylococcus sp. in cats. , 1994, Veterinary microbiology.

[11]  M. Kearney,et al.  Distribution of staphylococcal species on clinically healthy cats. , 1985, American journal of veterinary research.

[12]  Samuelson Da,et al.  Conjunctival fungal flora in horses, cattle, dogs, and cats. , 1984 .

[13]  J. Fox,et al.  Experimental Salmonella-associated conjunctivitis in cats. , 1984, Canadian journal of comparative medicine : Revue canadienne de medecine comparee.

[14]  M. R. Wilson,et al.  A survey of the conjunctival flora of clinically normal cats and cats with conjunctivitis. , 1980, The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne.