Investigation of the Relationship Between Ocular Demodex Colonization and the Conjunctival Flora

Abstract

Objective: this study aimed to determine whether ocular Demodex colonization leads to changes in the conjunctival flora in healthy middle-aged individuals. Methods: This study included 70 patients who applied to an ophthalmology clinic with a complaints of presbyopia. Two eyelash specimens from the lower eyelids of both eyes were obtained from each individual. In eyelash specimens were examined for Demodex spp. by direct wet smearing under microscopy. Conjunctival culture samples were cultivated on blood agar, eosin methylene blue and chocolate agar. Results: In the 38.5% of the individuals, Demodex spp. mites were found in the eyelashes, out of which 11.4% were Demodex brevis and 27.1% Demodex folliculorum. Bacterial growth was observed in 82.9% of the samples examined. The most frequently detected bacterium was Staphylococcus epidermidis (57%). Conclusion: Although Demodex spp. infestation has been shown to be related to diseases on ocular surface of eyes such as pterygium, xerophthalmia and chalazion, we did not observe that it induces changes in ocular surface flora in healthy adults. © 2022 Turkish Society for Parasitology.