[Severe bacterial keratitis and activity of fluoroquinolones]. / Kératites bactériennes sévères et sensibilité des germes aux fluoroquinolones.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To study the microbiological characteristics of patients with severe bacterial keratitis in Bordeaux, France, as well as the species' resistance to fluoroquinolones. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 57 patients presenting severe bacterial keratitis over 20 months. The positive bacteriological cultures of the corneal smears, bacteria, and the antibiogram were listed. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients with severe bacterial keratitis were hospitalized from March 2005 to November 2006. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=17), Staphylococcus aureus (n=16), and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (n=10) were the most frequent species. P. aeruginosa was sensitive in 100% of cases to ciprofloxacin, S. aureus was sensitive in 94% of cases to ciprofloxacin, and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species were sensitive in 100% of cases to ciprofloxacin. No significant different was noted between ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin on the bacteria studied (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: In this study, except for the Streptococcus species, ciprofloxacin was effective against the species responsible for severe bacterial keratitis.