PREVALENCE OF MYCOFLORA OF CONJUNCTIVAL AMONG PATIENTS APPEARING IN EYE WARD OF POLYCLINIC HOSPITAL ISLAMABAD

Objectives: The aim of this research work was to examine the prevalence of conjunctival mycoflora among patients appearing in Polyclinic hospital Islamabad.

Methodology: We collected total 172 swabs from the conjunctival of the patients who were attending the eye ward of Polyclinic hospital Islamabad from December 2019 to June 2020. The culturing of the swabs was carried out on the Sabouraud’s Dextrose Agar and then incubation was carried out at an ambient temperature for 7 days.

Results: We found 11 patients positive for the saprophytic fungi. Most frequent saprophytic fungus was the cladopsporium present in 4 patients. Some other types of filamentous fungi were drechslera in one patient, alternaria in one patient, fusarium in single patient and andepicoccum was also present in one patient. Additionally, 03 yeasts isolate include candida albicans, Cryptococcus, and rhodotorularubra were also separated from different patients.

Conclusion: We found a presence of the fungi in patient’s conjunctiva. Conditions of the environment, social and economic condition and adverse hygienic conditions, resulted in the high prevalence of the isolation of conjunctival fungus (6.40%). The rate of prevalence was very high in the males (72.70%) as compared to females (27.30%).

KEYWORDS: Conjunctiva, Fungus, Frequent, Mycoflora, Prevalence, Filamentous.