Purpose: To study the microbial agents, chiefly Chlamydia trachomatis and other bacteria, in neonatal conjunctivitis.
Methods: Conjunctival specimens from 70 newborns with conjunctivitis were subjected to bacterial culture and sensitivity testing, monoclonal antibody based C. trachomatis antigen detection test and species-specific Chlamydia antibody detection in the sera of babies and their mothers, by micro-immunofluorescence assay.
Results: Bacteria were isolated from 35 (50%) babies; the majority (20, 57.14%) were Staphylococcus epidermidis. C. trachomatis antigen was detected in conjunctival smears of 17 (24%) babies, and 6 (35.29%) of them were positive for other bacteria. Six babies and their mothers tested positive for C. trachomatis Ig G antibodies. At follow-up after 14 weeks, 6 (35.29%) of the Chlamydia antigen-positive babies were found to have developed recurrent conjunctivitis.
Conclusion: C. trachomatis is responsible for almost a quarter of all cases of neonatal conjunctivitis, with recurrences in 35% of cases. Bacteria could be isolated from 50% of the patients though the exact role of Staphylococcus epidermidis, isolated from 28.65% of the neonatal conjunctivitis cases, remains unclear.