BACTERIAL-CONTAMINATION OF ANAEROBIC VITREOUS CULTURES - USING TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED FOR ENDOPHTHALMITIS

Purpose. To investigate the occurrence of contaminated cultures of vit reous specimens from non-infected eyes obtained using anaerobic techni ques employed for endophthalmitis. Methods. Vitreous specimens were ob tained using meticulous sterile techniques employed for endophthalmiti s from seventeen patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy for non-inf ective indications: vitreous hemorrhage (12 eyes), retinal detachment (3), Coat's disease (1), and congenital dislocated lens (1). Vitreous specimens were inoculated in the operating room onto an anaerobic bloo d agar plate and into thioglycolate broth. Bacterial growth occurring before 10 days was considered positive. Results. Three organisms were isolated from three separate eyes. One colony of Staphylococcus specie s was isolated on an anaerobic blood agar plate on day 3. A single col ony of Propionibacterium acnes grew on an anaerobic blood agar plate o n day 6. Alpha-hemolytic streptococci grew from thioglycolate broth on day 10. Conclusions. Growth as detected in this study might represent contamination rather than an infecting organism in an eye suspected o f having endophthalmitis.