Microbes of the human eye: Microbiome, antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation

Abstract

Background: The review focuses on the bacteria associated with the human eye using the dual approach of detecting cultivable bacteria and the total microbiome using next generation sequencing. The purpose of this review was to highlight the connection between antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation in ocular bacteria.

Methods: Pubmed was used as the source to catalogue culturable bacteria and ocular microbiomes associated with the normal eyes and those with ocular diseases, to ascertain the emergence of anti-microbial resistance with special reference to biofilm formation.

Results: This review highlights the genetic strategies used by microorganisms to evade the lethal effects of anti-microbial agents by tracing the connections between candidate genes and biofilm formation.

Conclusion: The eye has its own microbiome which needs to be extensively studied under different physiological conditions; data on eye microbiomes of people from different ethnicities, geographical regions etc. are also needed to understand how these microbiomes affect ocular health.

Keywords: Anti-Microbial resistance; Antibiotic resistance genes; Biofilm; Biofilm genes; Biofilm stages; Ocular bacteria; Ocular diseases; Ocular microbiome.