Conjunctival Flora of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Patients on Antiretroviral Treatment

OBJECTIVES: To determine the conjunctival flora of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART). METHODOLOGY: A total of 104 conjunctival swabs from 104 HIV patients on ART underwent microbiological evaluation to describe the flora. RESULT: There were 71 (68.26%) women and 33 (31.74%) men. The mean age was 42.9 ± 9.77 (range: 22-70) years. Negative cultures were found in 39 (37.50%) cases. Bacterial growth occurred in 65 (62.50%) cases. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was found in 59 eyes (90.76%), and coagulase-positive in 3 eyes (4.61%). There was a significant correlation between the duration of ART, the degrees of immunosuppression, and bacterial growth. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of the conjunctival flora in HIV patients may provide a better guideline in the choice of antibiotic for the management of ocular surface infections.