SOME MYCOLOGICAL STUDIES ON SUPERFICIAL KERATITIS IN THE HORSES IN ASSIUT GOVERNORATE

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Animal Health Research Laboratory Assiut Head of Lab. Prof. Dr. S.M. Nashed

2 Botany Dept., Faculty of Science, Assiut Univ.

Abstract

A total of 32 horses suffered from superficial keratitis form different localities in Assiut Governorate were used in this study. Five of them had exposed to traumatic injuries to the eyes. All cases were treated from 9 21 days with a variety of topical antibiotic or antibiotic/steriod ophthalmic preparations without any improvement. Mycological study was performed in a trial to detect the possible mycotic causative agents. 93.75% of the examined infected eyes (30/32) showed mycotic keratitis. The pathogens were isolated in pure and heavy growth from the swabs and also demonstrated directly in clinical material by the potassium hydroxide technique. This high incidence was attributed to mis use of the above mentioned drugs. Aspergillius species (68.77%) especially Aspergillus Fumigatus (31.25%) and Aspergillus niger (15.62%) were the main predominant fungal causative agents. Another fungal species had been isolated but of low incidence.

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