Postoperative ocular infections: an analysis of laboratory data on 750 cases.

From 1981-1982, 750 clinical specimens from patients who developed postoperative infections were processed in the ocular microbiology laboratory. Bacterial cultures were positive in 71.0%, fungal in 1.3% and another 1.4% yielded both. The remaining 26.3% were sterile. Infections were due chiefly to Gram positive organisms (63.6%); only 6.4% were due to Gram negative bacteria while 0.9% were due to both. Staphylococcus aureus (52.0%) was the most common isolate, followed by S epidermidis (37.2%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus were the next frequent pathogens. Aspergillus was the most common fungus among the fungal isolates. The highest number of infections followed cataract extraction and keratoplasty. A vast majority of postoperative infections seem to be occurring with hospital acquired strains. Cloxacillin seems to be the most effective remedy for treating staphylococcal infections and polymyxin B for infections due to Pseudomonas. Chloramphenicol appears to be as effective as gentamicin for treating all infections.