Penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae conjunctivitis on some Nigerian children.
During 21 month study of bacterial conjunctivitis among 121 children in two health care centres in Calabar, Nigeria, a total of 90 (74.4%) cases were culturally confirmed. Neonates had the highest age-specific attack rates with 48 (53.3%) cases. Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the predominant pathogen, was recovered from 32 (35.6%) infections; 21 (65.6%) of them from neonates. Cultures of genital swabs of consenting parents of infected neonates as well as those of three female children aged 2-12 years with concurrent vulvo-vaginitis yielded N. gonorrhoeae. Younger women, mostly primi-gravidae were more frequently found to have benefited from peri-natal health care services than older multi-gravidae. Nevertheless, such access to health care services did not appear to influence the frequency of gonococcal conjunctivitis in neonates from the two maternal groups (P < 0.01). Sexual abuse and contaminated fomites were the possible modes of gonococcal infection transmission to older children. Overall, 22 (68.8%) strains of gonococci were resistant to penicillin; 19 (59.4%) were penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG), while 5 (15.6%) had chromosomally-mediated resistance. All isolates were sensitive to erythromycin. This study recommends a review of gonorrhoea surveillance in pregnancy to include routine examination of cervical swabs just before delivery.
Ebong
E O
EO
Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Nigeria.
Utsalo
S J
SJ
Asindi
A A
AA
Archibong
E I
EI
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003234:Conjunctivitis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D010405:Penicillinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology*
D010406:Penicillins; D010405:Penicillinase