The efficacy of intravitreal levofloxacin and intravitreal dexamethasone in experimental Staphylococcus epidermidis endophthalmitis

This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of intravitreal levofloxacin, and intravitreal levofloxacin and dexamethasone combined in Staphylococcus epidermidis endophthalmitis. Albino rabbits (n = 25), infected with an intravitreal inoculum of S. epidermidis (1.0 x 10(5) colony forming units/0.1 ml), were divided into five groups (n = 5). Groups 1 and 2 received treatment 24 h after the inoculation, and groups 3 and 4 48 h after the inoculation. No treatment was given to the control group. Treatment efficacy was assessed by vitreous culture, clinical examination and histopathology. Five days after treatment, groups 1 and 2 had significantly lower clinical scores than the control group (p = 0.004, p = 0.007). The culture results of the treatment groups were sterile. The histopathological scores of the treatment groups were lower than the control group (p = 0.007). Studies on retinal toxicity and dose-response relation are needed to prove the efficacy of levofloxacin in S. epidermidis endophthalmitis.