Evaluation of the bacterial ocular surface microbiome in clinically normal cats before and after treatment with topical erythromycin.

ABSTRACT: The ocular surface microbiome of veterinary species has not been thoroughly characterized using next generation sequencing. Furthermore, alterations in the feline ocular surface microbiome over time or following topical antibiotic treatment are unknown. Aims of this study were to further characterize the ocular surface microbiome of healthy cats and to identify whether there are microbial community changes over time and following topical antibiotic use. Twenty-four eyes from twelve adult, research-bred, female spayed domestic shorthaired cats were evaluated. Erythromycin ophthalmic ointment (0.5%) was applied to the ocular surface of one randomly assigned eye per cat three times daily for 7 days, while the fellow eye served as an untreated control. The ocular surface was sampled by swabbin

SUBMITTER: Darden JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6788832 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature