title: The bacterial etiology of conjunctivitis in early infancy. Eye Prophylaxis Study Group.
abstract: The authors conducted this study to determine the etiologic agents of conjunctivitis in early infancy. From 1985 to 1990, 630 infants enrolled in a randomized, controlled, double-masked study of eye prophylaxis were observed for 60 days after delivery for signs of conjunctivitis. The following isolates were categorized as pathogens: Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria cinerea, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Chlamydia trachomatis. Using conditional logistic regression for analysis of 97 infant pairs, the authors identified isolates categorized as pathogens almost exclusively among cases (odds ratio (OR) = 18.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.3-128). Among the microorganisms which have not usually been regarded as pathogens in the etiology of infant conjunctivitis, Streptococcus mitis was the only microorganism associated with an increased risk of conjunctivitis (OR = 5.3, 95% CI 1.8-15.0). The findings concerning the species of bacteria most often associated with conjunctivitis, as well as the finding that method of delivery is unimportant, suggest that bacteria were transmitted to the infants' eyes after birth and not from the birth canal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Krohn
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hillier
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kronmal
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Grayston
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D003234:Conjunctivitis, Bacterial / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003235:Conjunctivitis, Inclusion / Q000517:prevention & control; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae; D009343:Neisseria; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control