Ophthalmia neonatorum associated with maternal chlamydial infections.
An unselected sample of 142 pregnant women had a single cervical culture for C trachomatis at 36 to 40 weeks' gestation. Of these women, 18 (12.7%) had positive cultures, and their infants were followed in postoperative fashion. Of these 18 infants, eight (44%) developed ophthalmia neonatorum. A combination of cultures and conjunctival smears for Giemsa staining and fluorescent-antibody examination for infected cells confirmed the diagnosis in 70% of the infants with conjunctivitis. However, 12 of 18 infants has serum antibodies against genital strain chlamydial antigens at 1 year of age, indicating that a majority of the infants were infected. Four of the infants had superior micropannus at 1 year of age; however, none of the infants had active conjunctivitis nor corneal or conjunctival scars.
D000906:Antibodies; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000382:microbiology; D002690:Chlamydia Infections; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003235:Conjunctivitis, Inclusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007634:Keratitis / Q000209:etiology; D009878:Ophthalmia Neonatorum / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; D013666:Tears / Q000276:immunology
D000906:Antibodies