Conjunctival flora in Behçet patients.

BACKGROUND

To determine the difference in conjunctival flora in Behçet patients compared with the normal population.

METHODS

This study was carried out on a study group of 50 patients in the inactive period of Behçet's disease and a control group of 50 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects with no systemic or ocular disease. A swab was taken from the lower fornix using a sterile swab and inoculated into bloody eosin methylene blue, chocolate, and Sabouraud dextrose agar media.

RESULTS

The mean age was 36.04 (SD 2.16) years for the Behçet group and 35.64 (SD 1.96) years for the control group. Bacterial growth was observed in 92% (n = 46) of the Behçet group and 56% (n = 29) of the control group. The Behçet group results were Staphylococcus aureus in 12 (24%), coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) in 32 (64%), Moraxella spp in 8 (16%), Streptococcus spp in 8 (16%), Bacillus spp in 4 (8%), Neisseria spp in 4 (8%), Candida spp in 3 (6%), and Haemophilus spp in 1 (2%). In the control group, the results were S. aureus in 2 (4%), CNS in 24 (48%), Moraxella spp in 2 (4%), Streptococcus spp in 1 (2%), Bacillus spp in 3 (6%), Neisseria spp in 3 (6%), and Candida spp in 1 (2%).

INTERPRETATION: S. aureus, Moraxella spp, and Streptococcus spp colonization was significantly higher in the conjunctival flora of Behçet patients than in that of the control group. A bacterial etiology may be involved in the pathogenesis of Behçet's disease.