Parents of Infants with Ophthalmia Neonatorum: A High-risk Group for Sexually Transmitted Diseases

• Published in: Sexually transmitted diseases 1985-07, Vol.12 (3), p.150-154
• Main Authors: FRANSEN, LIEVE, NSANZE, HERBERT, D'COSTA, LOURDES J., BRUNHAM, ROBERT C., PIOT, PETER
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Cervix Uteri - microbiology; Chlamydia Infections - complications; Chlamydia trachomatis - isolation & purification; Female; Gonorrhea - complications; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Neisseria gonorrhoeae - isolation & purification; Ophthalmia Neonatorum - etiology; Original Articles; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Urethra - microbiology
• ISSN: 0148-5717; 1537-4521
• DOI: 10.1097/00007435-198507000-00011

One hundred forty-nine mothers and 74 fathers of infants who presented at the Special Treatment Clinic (Nairobi) with ophthalmia neonatorum were evaluated. Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated from 60 (40%) of 149 mothers and Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from 31 (21%). Twenty-six mothers (17.5%) had clinical evidence of endometritis or pelvic inflammatory disease. Mothers with endometritis and/or pelvic inflammatory disease were more often infected with N. gonorrhoeae (65%) than were mothers without these conditions (24%) (P ≤ .001). N. gonorrhoeae was isolated from ten (14%) and C. trachomatis from three (9%) of 32 fathers, and nongonococcal urethritis was diagnosed in an additional 21 fathers (28%). Seven of ten men with gonococcal urethritis and 18 of 21 with nongonococcal urethritis had no symptoms. These data confirm that the presence of ophthalmia neonatorum in a neonate should be considered as a strong indicator of sexually transmitted disease in the parents. Although most infections in fathers were asymptomatic, the mothers were at high risk for complications.