Fungal profile of the normal ocular microflora in Kurd horse

Knowledge of resident fungal species on the normal ocular surface may influence selection of antifungal agents for the treatment of keratomycosis. In this study conjunctival fungal flora of 40 Kurd horses with normal eyes (n = 80) from Tabriz was identified using horses of both genders and aged 2-30 years old. Samples were taken from the lower conjunctival sac of both eyes with a dry cotton swab, seeded in Sabouraud's dextrose agar with chloramphenicol, and incubated at 25 °C for 21 days. Thirty-one (77.5%) horses and 49 (61.25%) eyes were culture positive. The most commonly isolated fungi were Aspergillus species (38.82 %). Other isolates in order of frequency were Candida spp, Penicillium spp, Fusarium spp, Cladosporium spp, Mucor spp, Scopulariopsis spp, Pseudallescheria sp, Rhodotorula sp, and Trichoderma sp. Yeast genera represented 18.82% of the total isolates. Sex of horse had significant effect on the frequency of certain fungi. Fungal contamination of eyes decreased with increase of horse age but correlation between them was not significant (r = -0.255; P = 0.064). The fungal species isolated are comparable with those reported for horses in other areas.