Failure of erythromycin ointment for postnatal ocular prophylaxis of chlamydial conjunctivitis.
Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common pathogen associated with conjunctivitis during early infancy in the United States. During a 13-month interval at our medical center 4834 infants were born, 311 of whom (6.4%) had conjunctival specimens tested for chlamydial antigen before the age of 12 weeks. In 44 (14% of all tested infants, 0.9% of live births) chlamydial antigen was present. Because the rate of asymptomatic maternal chlamydial endocervical colonization is estimated to be 26% at our institution (previous prospective study), we calculated a minimal failure rate for erythromycin ocular prophylaxis of from 7 to 19.5%. A subsequent case-control study revealed that mothers of infants with chlamydial conjunctivitis were more likely to be primiparous (P = 0.03) and experience longer duration of rupture of membranes before delivery (P = 0.046). We conclude that a substantial percentage of infants exposed to Chlamydia develop chlamydial conjunctivitis despite receiving erythromycin ocular prophylaxis.
Department of Pediatrics, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, Shreveport 71130.
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Black-Payne
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Bocchini
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D000287:Administration, Topical; D003235:Conjunctivitis, Inclusion / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D008297:Male; D009824:Ointments; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D009824:Ointments; D004917:Erythromycin