A study of the incidence of neonatal conjunctivitis and of its bacterial causes including Chlamydia trachomatis. Clinical examination, culture and cytology of tear fluid.

Out of 300 newborn infants who had conjunctival swabs inoculated for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and other bacteria, 72% had bacteria isolated 4 to 6 days after birth. Of these, Staph. albus constituted 51% and Staph. aureus 19%. None of the infants were Chlamydia positive. Five out of 112 mothers (4.5%) were Chlamydia positive from the cervix just before delivery. Nineteen of the neonates were treated for conjunctivitis within the first month of life. Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from 2, and Staph. aureus, alpha-Streptococci, Pneumococci and Haemophilus influenzae from some of the other infants. A likely diagnosis could be made in 46% of these cases, while the remaining cultures showed only apathogenic bacteria or no growth. There was a fairly good accordance with observation of inflammatory cells in the tear fluid and the clinical picture, 17/19 = 90% showing neutrophilia. Despite failing aetiological diagnosis in several cases, the infants responded satisfactorily to local antibiotic treatment. 75% of the parents replied to questionnaires 2 months after birth concerning conjunctivitis within the first month of life. The replies showed that 58 = 25% had had conjunctivitis, of whom 17% had been treated with antibiotics.