Bacteriological profile in patients having chronic dacryocystitis presenting for cataract surgery in a tertiary care centre

Background: the clinical research specifies that patients with clogged Nasolacrimal Ducts (NLDs) are more likely to cause infectious endophthalmitis secondary to cataract surgery. The current study assessed the bacteriological profile and antimicrobial susceptibility among patients of chronic dacryocystitis presenting for cataract surgery. Materials and Methods: a cross-sectional study was done on 62 patients with clinically diagnosed chronic dacryocystitis. All patients underwent syringing of the nasolacrimal duct with sterile normal saline under local anaesthesia, and a nasolacrimal regurgitation sample from the lower punctum was collected. The swabs were collected, and organisms were grown on suitable medium. Antibiotic susceptibility was also tested. Results: chronic dacryocystitis was observed in 7.9% of patients. The growth of Gram-positive organisms was greater than Gram-negative organisms in both lacrimal sac content swabs (65%, 35%) and conjunctival swabs (76%, 24%), respectively. Out of 10 (35.7%) Gram-negative isolates, meropenem, gentamicin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cefepime, piperacillin-tazobactum, levofloxacin, cotrimoxazole were the most sensitive drugs (100%, 100%, 100%, 93.75%, 87.5%, 87.5%, 87.5%, respectively). Ampicillin and cefazolin (16.67% sensitivity in both) were the least sensitive in Gram-negative isolates. Conclusions: knowledge of the bacteriological profile and antibioGram of chronic dacryocystitis prior to cataract surgery is essential to avert post-operative infections of the eye.