Aerobic Commensal Conjunctival Microflora in Healthy Donkeys.
Authors: Fraczkowska Kaja, Zak-Bochenek Agnieszka, Siwinska Natalia, Rypula Krzysztof, Ploneczka-Janeczko Katarzyna
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Understanding the baseline microbial inhabitants of the healthy donkey eye is clinically essential, particularly given donkeys' heightened susceptibility to corneal trauma and secondary infection compared to horses. Researchers cultured conjunctival swabs from both eyes of 14 clinically normal donkeys, identifying bacterial species through Gram staining, biochemical testing, and disc-diffusion antibiotic sensitivity analysis. Positive bacterial growth occurred in approximately 82% of samples, with *Pantoea agglomerans* predominating, followed by *Moraxella lacunata*—a notably different profile from published equine conjunctival flora despite geographical similarity of study locations. These findings establish a reference baseline for normal donkey ocular flora, which is particularly valuable for practitioners assessing whether clinical signs of conjunctivitis or keratitis represent true infection rather than commensal overgrowth or contamination. For farriers and field veterinarians treating donkeys with eye problems, recognising this species-specific microfloral composition will inform more targeted antimicrobial treatment decisions and help distinguish pathogenic from benign bacterial presence.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Understanding normal conjunctival flora in donkeys helps differentiate commensal bacteria from pathogenic infection when ocular disease occurs
- •Donkeys have higher exposure to corneal damage and infections than horses, making knowledge of their normal ocular microflora clinically important for diagnosis and treatment decisions
- •When selecting antimicrobials for conjunctival infections in donkeys, consider that Pantoea agglomerans and Moraxella lacunata are normal flora rather than automatically treating their presence as infection
Key Findings
- •82% of conjunctival swab samples from healthy donkeys were positive for bacterial cultivation
- •Pantoea agglomerans was the most prevalent commensal conjunctival species in donkeys
- •Moraxella lacunata was the second most commonly detected conjunctival bacterium in donkeys
- •Conjunctival microflora composition differs between donkeys and horses despite geographical proximity