title: Neonatal orbital irritant contact dermatitis caused by gentamicin ointment.
abstract: The common preventive therapy in our department for newborns' eyes is tetracycline ophthalmic ointment. Due to temporary shortage of tetracycline ophthalmic ointment for one week in December 1991, the preventive therapy given to seventy-one newborns was gentamicin sulfate ophthalmic ointment. Five babies (7 percent of all newborns) experienced marked edema of the eyelids, foci of erythema, and serous exudate within the first days of life. The lesions regressed gradually and disappeared entirely within two to three weeks without any complications. These lesions represent the first description of orbital irritant contact dermatitis in newborns, most probably caused by topical gentamicin preparation. However, one cannot exclude sensitivity to paraben, which is the preservative used in gentamicin ointment, or a synergistic action of both agent and preservative.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Beilinson Medical Center, Petah Tiqva, Israel.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Merlob
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Metzker
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D017453:Dermatitis, Irritant / Q000209:etiology*; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology*; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced; D004890:Erythema / Q000139:chemically induced; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009824:Ointments; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000009:adverse effects; D009916:Orbital Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010226:Parabens / Q000009:adverse effects; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical / Q000009:adverse effects; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000600:supply & distribution
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005839:Gentamicins; D009824:Ointments; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010226:Parabens; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; D013752:Tetracycline