Identification of fungal isolates from conjunctival sac in healthy goats

Fungi are present as normal flora in the surface of the eye of healthy animals but under certain conditions may cause disease. The purpose of this study was to identify the fungal isolates from the conjunctival sac of clinically normal goats and determine the effect of host age and sex on the isolates. A total of 140 swabs were taken from the inferior conjunctival sac of 70 healthy goats. The selected animals were of both male and female and divided into two age groups. The samples were inoculated in sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol and incubated at 25°C for 21 days. Data were analyzed by Fisher''s exact test. In total، 6 different fungal genera were identified in 26 (37. 14%) goats and 36 (25. 7%) eyes. The isolates included Penicillium spp. - 14 eyes (38. 88%)، Scopulariopsis spp. -11 eyes (30. 55)، Aspergillus fumigates - 4 eyes (11. 11%)، Fusarium spp. -3 eyes (8. 33%)، Mucor spp. -3 eyes (8. 33%) and Alternaria sp. -1 eye (2. 77%). The sex of goat had significant effect on frequency of fungal isolation (p<0. 01). The fungal species isolated in this report are comparable with studies on ruminants. The present study is the first report of fungal flora of normal caprine conjunctiva.