A retrospective clinical and epidemiological comparison was made between gonococcal and non-gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum in Glasgow from 1963 to 1968. Both forms of the disease were fairly mild, responding well to either topical or systemic antibiotic therapy. Neisseria gonorrhoeae was the commonest cause of ophthalmia neonatorum during the period studied. Illegitimate babies, those born in certain hospitals or in their own homes and those whose homes were in the inner suburbs had the highest incidence of gonococcal ophthalmia, and it is suggested that prophylaxis be re-introduced for those babies at greatest risk.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BarsamP. C. (1966). Specific prophylaxis of gonorrhoeal ophthalmia neonatorum. New Engl. J. Med., 274, m
2.
KaivonenM. (1965). Prophylaxis of ophthalmia neonatorum. Acta ophthal. Suppl. 79
3.
LewisP. M. (1946). Penicillin in gonococcic conjunctivitis; its use in 30 cases, compared with the sulfonamides in 173 cases. Amer. J. Ophthal. 29, 694
4.
Report of the Medical Officer of Health, Glasgow (1963). p. 223.
5.
Report of the Medical Officer of Health, Glasgow (1967). p. 232.
6.
SmithJ. A.ThomsonHelen W. (1969). Admissions to an Infectious Diseases Hospital in 1967. Health Bulletin, 27, 4
7.
SorsbyA. (1945). Local penicillin therapy in ophthalmia neonatorum. Brit. Med. J., 1, 903
8.
SorsbyA. (1947). Penicillin therapy in ophthalmia neonatorum. Brit. Med. J., II, 322
9.
ZnamenacekK.SrajbrE.MyskaV.CernaZ.KolesovovaL. (1966). Crede's prophylaxis after 85 years. Cs. Oftal., 22, 335
