Yap, Ruth Lyra S. (March 2010)
Philippine Science High School Western Visayas Campus – Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PSHS WVC), Brgy. Bito-on, Jaro, Iloilo City 5000, Philippines
ABSTRACT
Conjunctivities is the inflammation of the conjunctiva, or the mucosal lining of the eyelids and eyeball. Some cases of conjunctivitis, such as that caused by Neisseria gonorrheae, may cause blindness. This kind of conjunctivitis, called gonococcal conjunctivitis and caused by the same pathogen as gonorrhea, is taken into consideration in the Philippines beacuse of the practice of treating conjunctivitis with urine.
This study determined the antibacterial activity, if any, of human urine from mid-adolescent males aged 16-17 against the common causative agent of conjunctivitis, Staphylococus aureus. Ten non-diabetic consenting male students of Philippine Science High School Western Visayas were randomly selected. Coffee filter discs with diameter 6mm were impregnated with their urine specimen and the set-ups were incubated overnight at 37 degrees celcius. Chloramphenicol discs served as the positive control and heat-sterelized distilled water served as the negative control.
None of the urine specimen exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococus aureus. One of the urine discs placed on a petri dish without S. aureus growth showed a bacterial growth with a 13mm diameter.
The results of this study may be used to educate loacals to stop treating conjunctivitis with urine, as it has no antibacterial activity against the common causative agent and may even worsen the condition in case the persin from which the urine was taken from was infected with N. gonorrheae.