Persistence of chlamydial infection after treatment for neonatal conjunctivitis.

A high incidence of pharyngeal infection was found in babies with isolation-positive chlamydial conjunctivitis. Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from the pharynx of 12 (52%) of 23 babies before treatment, and was reisolated from the eyes of 4 (12%) of 34 and from the pharynx of 14 (41%) of 34 after treatment. C trachomatis was reisolated significantly more often from babies treated only with topical tetracycline for 4 weeks (75%) than from those treated with both topical tetracycline and oral erythromycin for 2 weeks (32%). Reisolation from the eyes was associated with only minor clinical signs. Radiological signs of an inflammatory lesion in the chest were found in 2 of 8 babies examined because of persistent cough. These signs were not associated with high or rising titres of serum chlamydial antibody.