Introduction. The existing methods of treating bacterial keratitis do not always provide a positive therapeutic effect and do not prevent the occurrence of relapses. The main cause of this is the development of resistance of microorganisms to antibiotics. The use of silver nanoparticles which have antimicrobial properties can be perspective for the treatment of bacterial keratitis.
Objective. Studying the effect of instillation of 30-nm silver nanoparticles on local immunity of a healthy eye and by moderate bacterial keratitis in rabbits.
Materials and methods. The research was conducted with 28 Chinchilla rabbits (2 groups of 14 animals). They were instilled in the conjunctival cavity with a colloidal solution of silver nanoparticles of 30 nm. The first group included the intact animals. In the second group, the animals were simulated with bacterial keratitis. The number of epithelial cells was determined in the prints of corneal smears, as well as the total number of white blood cells, the number of neutrophils and lymphocytes, and phagocytic activity of the neutrophils.
Results. The 30-day instillation of a colloidal solution of 30-nm silver nanoparticles does not irritate the cornea and does not significantly alter the local immunity of a healthy eye in the experiment, while, by bacterial keratitis, it significantly reduces the number of lymphocytes and neutrophils in the prints of cornea smears on the 5th-7th days into the experiment, increases phagocytic activity of the neutrophils on the 7th-14th days into the experiment, contributes to relief of the inflammation process and to the regeneration of the cornea by the 7th day into the modeling simulation of keratitis.
Conclusion. The instillation of a colloidal solution of 30-nm silver nanoparticles alters the course of experimental bacterial keratitis, accelerating the epithelization of the infected wounds of the cornea.