Neonatal conjunctivitis caused by Chlamydia trachomatis.

Chlamydia trachomatis is a common cause of neonatal infection in industrialized countries and is acquired from the infected maternal cervix. Multiple mucosal surfaces, including the respiratory and the gastrointestinal tract as well as the conjunctiva, will be colonized by the organism. Conjunctivitis and pneumonia are the illnesses presently recognized as manifestations of these infections. C. trachomatis is isolated from the eye in 14 to 25% of patients with neonatal conjunctivitis and there is often an associated nasopharyngeal infection. The conjunctivitis is often the first clinical manifestation of these potentially systemic infections and therefore systemic therapy is required. The recommended treatment in neonatal chlamydial conjunctivitis is oral erythromycin 25 mg/kg every 12 hours for 14 days. This dose is well tolerated by the infant. Parents of infants with chlamydia infection should be treated with oral erythromycin or tetracyclines. Erythromycin should be given to breast feeding mothers.