Authors: ABDULLAH ARAGHI SOOREH, MEISAM BANIARDALAN
Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the normal conjunctival bacterial flora and the effects of sex and age variations on them in healthy cattle in Urmia, Iran. The animals (n = 50) were selected from 2 sexes and divided into 2 age groups. Swabs were taken from the inferior conjunctival sac of both eyes (n = 100) and were cultured on blood and MacConkey agar. All (100%) of the specimens yielded positive bacterial isolations. The bacterial isolates (in order of decreasing frequency) were Lactobacillus plantarum, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter aerogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and S. aureus. There was no significant difference in number of isolates between sexes and age groups (P > 0.05). In the present study L. plantarum, as a normal flora organism, was reported from the conjunctival sac in cattle for the first time.
Keywords: Lactobacillus plantarum, bacterial flora, conjunctiva, cattle
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