title: Infection and disease after perinatal exposure to Chlamydia trachomatis in Nairobi, Kenya.
abstract: A cohort of 49 infants exposed to maternal chlamydial infection and 40 nonexposed infants was studied after birth for a mean of 3.3 +/- 1.5 and 3 +/- 1.7 mo, respectively. Eighteen (37%) exposed infants had at least one positive culture for Chlamydia trachomatis, whereas C. trachomatis was not isolated from any of the nonexposed infants. Eighteen (37%) exposed infants developed ophthalmia neonatorum (n = 12) or infant conjunctivitis (n = 7), compared with six (15%) of the nonexposed infants (P = .04). Six (12%) exposed infants developed pneumonia, compared with none of the 40 nonexposed infants (P = .05). One infant in the exposed group died during follow-up. These results suggest that appreciable infant morbidity in Kenya may be associated with the high prevalence of maternal chlamydial infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, Republic of Kenya.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Datta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laga
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Plummer
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Ndinya-Achola
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piot
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maitha
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ronald
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Brunham
mesh_terms: D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D003371:Cough / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D009878:Ophthalmia Neonatorum / Q000453:epidemiology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies