PURPOSE: To report a clinical series of ciprofloxacin-resistant ocular isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from a tertiary care ophthalmic center.
METHODS: Review of in vitro sensitivities of all ocular isolates of P. aeruginosa between July 1991 and September 1998. In vitro resistance was defined as a minimum inhibitory concentration of 4 or more μg per ml.
RESULTS: Nine of 423 ocular isolates of P. aeruginosa showed in vitro resistance to ciprofloxacin. From 1991 to 1994, 0.44% (1/227) of ocular isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, whereas from 1995 to 1998, 4.1% (8/196) of ocular isolates showed in vitro resistance (P = .014).
CONCLUSIONS: Ciprofloxacin-resistant P. aeruginosa has been identified in recent clinical ocular specimens. Ciprofloxacin resistance among ocular isolates of P. aeruginosa is a local and worldwide concern.
