Conjunctival bacterial and fungal flora and cutaneous fungal flora in healthy domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Objectives: To determine the normal conjunctival bacterial and fungal flora in healthy rabbits, to compare the fungal flora from the conjunctival sac with periocular cutaneous fungal flora and to evaluate potential changes in type of micro-organisms over time.

Materials And Methods: Samples from 50 pet rabbits with a normal ophthalmic examination were obtained from conjunctival sacs using sterile cotton swabs and from the interpupillary skin space using a piece of sterile carpet. Samples were collected twice, 4 weeks apart, and cultured to evaluate bacterial and fungal populations.

Results: Bacteria were recovered from 35.9% of conjunctival swabs. Corynebacterium species (32.4%), Staphylococcus species (18.3%), Pasteurella species (9.9%) and Moraxella species (8.5%) were the most frequently isolated organisms. Fungi were recovered from 14.6% of conjunctival swabs. The most common fungal genera were Aspergillus (37%), Scopulariopsis (14.8%) and Penicillium (11.1%). Fungal cultures from periocular integument yielded positive results in 96.3% of samples; the same fungal organism was isolated in both conjunctival and cutaneous culture in nine of 20 rabbits (45%). When comparing results 4 weeks apart in 32 of 50 animals, only three rabbits with a positive bacterial culture and one rabbit with a positive fungal culture had the same result at the subsequent test.

Clinical Significance: Fungi and bacteria isolated from the conjunctival sac of rabbits may represent transient seeding from the environment. To our knowledge, this is the first report of fungal composition of the conjunctival sac of rabbits and evaluation of the potential transient nature of both bacterial and fungal composition of this conjunctival flora.