Original Paper

The Relationship between Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae as the Cause of Neonatal Conjunctivitis (Ophthalmia Neonatorum)
Jan Krasny^a, Jitka Tomasova-Borovanska^a, Dana Hruba<sup>b

a</sup>Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Vinohrady, and
^bNational Institute of Public Health, NRL for Chlamydia, Prague, Czech Republic

Address of Corresponding Author

Ophthalmologica 2005;219:232-236 (DOI: 10.1159/000085733)

  Key Words

• Neonatal conjunctivitis
• Chlamydia trachomatis
• Chlamydia pneumoniae
• Obstruction of the lacrimal pathway
• Antibiotics

  Abstract

The authors examined 130 newborns and nursery children from September 1999 till May 2003 from the Prague district for the surmise of chlamydial conjunctivitis. Chlamydia infections were detected in conjunctival smears. Chlamydia trachomatis was confirmed in 20 (15.3%) using ligase chain reaction and C. pneumoniae in 16 (12.3%) children using an indirect immunofluorescent method. Direct captures of chlamydial infections of newborns were included in the study. The authors had also examined 671 newborns in a maternity hospital from January 2002 till May 2003. Conjunctival scraping had been done in 29 (4.3%) cases mainly for mucopurulent conjunctivitis. Chlamydial conjunctivitis was identified only in 4 (0.6%) cases, i.e. C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae in 2 cases each. Initial clinical symptoms of both types of chlamydial conjunctivitis were similar (mucous discharge with various degrees of eyelid effusion and chemosis mainly on the tarsal conjunctiva). Clinical symptoms of the C. pneumoniae infection were later accompanied by pseudofollicular changes on the tarsal conjunctiva. The complication of this infection was lacrimal obstruction among half of newborns. Clarithromycin in syrup at a dose of 15 mg/kg/per day for 14 days ensured effective treatment of both chlamydial infections. Control scrapings were always negative and simultaneously the pathological conjunctival finding disappeared.

Copyright © 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Jan Krasny
Ocni klinika FNKV
Srobarova 50
CZ-10034 Prague 10 (Czech Republic)
Tel. +420 267162372, Fax +420 26712634, E-Mail krasny@fnkv.cz

  Article Information

Received: January 30, 2004
Accepted after revision: June 11, 2004
Published online: July 09, 2008
Number of Print Pages : 5
Number of Figures : 6, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 21