Control of ophthalmia neonatorum. Statement by the NSPB Committee on Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
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BACKGROUND: Ophthalmia neonatorum still blinds approximately 10,000 babies annually worldwide. Identification of contributory maternal perinatal factors could possibly predict which babies are at greater risk for this disease. METHODS: In a randomized prospective study of ophthalmia neonatorum in Kenya, we studied the effect of prophylaxis with povidone-iodine, silver nitrate, and erythromycin in 3117 neonates. Four perinatal factors that may promote ophthalmia neonatorum were investigated: maternal vaginitis, birth in a nonsterile environment, presence of meconium at birth, and postnatal development of endometritis. RESULTS: No significant difference in the general ophthalmia neonatorum rate was found for any of the four factors (P > .14 by Fisher exact test). However, with regard to venereal ophthalmia neonatorum, the 26 infants born to mothers with vaginitis had a relative risk 5.1 times that of the rest of the infants (P = 0.0013). Their relative risk to develop gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum in particular was 24.9 times the rest of the neonates (P = 0.0000031). Prophylaxis was with povidone-iodine in 12 infants, silver nitrate in two, and erythromycin in 12. The frequency of ophthalmia neonatorum was 25%, 100%, and 33%, respectively (differences not significant). CONCLUSION: Neonates born to mothers with vaginitis should be carefully observed for the first postnatal month for the development of ophthalmia neonatorum, even though a prophylactic agent has been used.
BACKGROUND: Two cases of sympathetic ophthalmia occurring after noncontact neodymium:YAG (Nd:YAG) cyclotherapy have previously been reported. In each case, the patient had undergone filtering surgery in the exciting eye. Although in each case Nd:YAG cyclotherapy was the last surgery performed, the inciting event of sympathetic ophthalmia was unclear. METHODS: The authors studied three additional patients who developed sympathetic ophthalmia after Nd:YAG cyclotherapy for glaucoma. RESULTS: Two patients developed sympathetic ophthalmia 4 months after noncontact Nd:YAG cyclotherapy, and 1 patient developed sympathetic ophthalmia 18 months after contact Nd:YAG cyclotherapy. All patients had previous cataract extractions but no filtering surgery in the exciting eye. Clinical features included chronic iridocyclitis, choroidal folds, Dalen-Fuchs nodules, and optic disc edema. Combining these cases with the two previously reported cases, the incidence of sympathetic ophthalmia at our institution thus far is 5.8% (4 of 69) and 0.67% (1 of 150) after noncontact and contact Nd:YAG cyclotherapy, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of sympathetic ophthalmia after Nd:YAG cyclotherapy is high compared with other ocular procedures. The clinician should vigilantly monitor patients after Nd:YAG cyclotherapy and report additional cases that may have occurred at other institutions.
A survey of 26 eye pathology laboratories for a five-year period ending in 1980 disclosed that sympathetic ophthalmia occurred in two of every 1,000 eyes examined. Of the 53 eyes with sympathetic ophthalmia, 29 (55%) had posttraumatic and 24 (45%) had postsurgical sympathetic ophthalmia. Ten of the 53 eyes (19%) had undergone one or more operations that included vitrectomy. Sympathetic ophthalmia developed after surgery in eight of the ten eyes and after accidental trauma in the other two. A survey of 34 retinal surgeons who had done 14,915 vitrectomies (10,000 of which were estimated to have been done in eyes with no other penetrating wound) disclosed that sympathetic ophthalmia occurred in nine patients (an incidence of 0.06%). In one of these, the only operative procedure and penetrating wound was a vitrectomy (an incidence of 0.01%). The risk of sympathetic ophthalmia after a vitrectomy alone in an eye without a previous penetrating wound is approximately the same as that for other surgical procedures involving penetration of the uveal tract. The risk increases if vitrectomy is accompanied by accidental penetrating wounds or other surgical procedures.
We evaluated the use of silver nitrate drops and tetracycline ointment for the prophylaxis of ophthalmia neonatorum in a controlled trial involving 2732 newborns in Nairobi, Kenya. The overall rates of prevalence of intrapartum maternal gonococcal and chlamydial infection were 6.4 and 8.9 percent, respectively. After prophylaxis with silver nitrate, the incidence rates of gonococcal, chlamydial, and nongonococcal, nonchlamydial ophthalmia neonatorum were 0.4, 0.7, and 6.2 percent, respectively, whereas after prophylaxis with tetracycline, the rates were 0.1, 0.5, and 4.5 percent. The attack rates of gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum in newborns exposed to Neisseria gonorrhoeae at birth were 7.0 percent in those receiving silver nitrate and 3.0 percent in those receiving tetracycline (95 percent confidence interval for the difference in rates, -3.4 to 11.4 percent). As compared with historical controls, the incidence of gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum decreased 83 percent among infants treated with silver nitrate and 93 percent among those treated with tetracycline. Failure of prophylaxis was associated with postpartum maternal endometritis (P = 0.05). Among newborns exposed to maternal infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, chlamydial conjunctivitis developed in 10.1 percent given silver nitrate and in 7.2 percent given tetracycline (95 percent confidence interval for the difference in rates, -4.7 to 10.5 percent), yielding reductions in the incidence of chlamydial ophthalmia of 68 and 77 percent, respectively, as compared with the historical controls. We conclude that tetracycline is as effective as silver nitrate in preventing gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum.
Sympathetic ophthalmia is a rare and potentially visually devastating bilateral panuveitis, typically following non-surgical penetrating injury to one eye. Three patients are presented where sympathetic ophthalmia developed after repeated vitreoretinal surgery. Prompt and effective management with systemic immunosuppressive agents permitted control of their disease and retention of good visual acuity in their remaining eye. Vitreoretinal surgery is an important risk factor in sympathetic ophthalmia. Informed consent for vitreoretinal surgery (especially in the re-operation setting) should now include the risk of sympathetic ophthalmia (approximately 1 in 800). Diverse clinical presentations are possible in sympathetic ophthalmia and any bilateral uveitis following vitreoretinal surgery should alert the surgeon to the possibility of sympathetic ophthalmia. Modern immunosuppressive therapy with systemic steroids and steroid-sparing agents such as cyclosporin A and azathioprine have improved the prognosis. This is particularly so in cases where early diagnosis is made and prompt and suitable immunotherapy is commenced.
In a population of 1928 neonates in Northern Norway, ophthalmia neonatorum was diagnosed in 18.9%, including mild and self-limiting cases. Sixteen out of 269 (6.0%) cultured cases were positive for Chlamydia trachomatis. No gonococcal ophthalmia was seen. In neonates whose symptoms began in the maternity wards, the distribution of the isolated microorganisms (mainly Staphylococcus aureus) was different from those in whom symptoms began after discharge (mainly S. aureus, Staphylococcus species (coagulase-negative), Streptococcus viridans and C. trachomatis). Growth of C. trachomatis was significantly associated with the intensity of conjunctivitis (P less than 0.001). However, no sequelae could be demonstrated in the eyes at the age of 6 months. 60% of the neonates with chlamydial ophthalmia also suffered from rhinitis. 31.4% of the neonates received silver nitrate instillation, which had no significant influence on the frequency of chlamydial ophthalmia. General practitioners are often faced with chlamydial ophthalmia. In cases of ophthalmia neonatorum, a microbiological examination is recommended, as a guide to appropriate antibiotic treatment. The result of microbiological examination may also indicate other infections in mother and child. In areas with a readily available health service, including an adequate microbiological laboratory service, prophylaxis in the eyes does not seem to be necessary.
Two cases of posterior form sympathetic ophthalmia are presented. The histologic abnormalities in one of them are described. Based on findings in these two cases and other descriptions of posterior form sympathetic ophthalmia in the literature, the authors conclude that except for absence of anterior uveal tract involvement, there is no histopathologic difference between posterior form sympathetic ophthalmia and classical sympathetic ophthalmia. Although there is disagreement in the literature, the authors also conclude that the therapy and prognosis of posterior form sympathetic ophthalmia does not differ from that of classical sympathetic ophthalmia.
PURPOSE: To summarize the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of sympathetic ophthalmia caused by ocular penetration with endophthalmitis. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was done on clinical data of 3 cases of sympathetic ophthalmia with ocular penetration and endophthalmitis. RESULTS: 5,253 cases of ocular penetration and fracture were hospitalized from 1993 to 2002, while 87 cases of sympathetic ophthalmia were found at the same period of time, with the ratio of 1.65%. 3 cases had history of ocular penetration with endophthalmitis. Fluorescein angiography indicated that these 3 cases had developed sympathetic ophthalmia. Microscopic examination showed that 1 case had typical histological changes of sympathetic ophthalmia. CONCLUSION: Sympathetic ophthalmia caused by ocular penetration with endophthalmitis is infrequent, but this situation should not be neglect.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of treatment on prevention of disease development and protection of visual outcomes in patients suffering from sympathetic ophthalmia. METHODS: Retrospective case. RESULTS: Four patients with sympathetic ophthalmia were treated in our department from 1999 to 2004. All patients were men with the mean age 27.5 years (15-49 years). In two patients, there was a history of penetrating eye injury prior to the onset of sympathetic ophthalmia, in other two patients sympathetic ophthalmia occurred after eye surgery (pars plana vitrectomy), with no previous ocular trauma. Two patients were treated with monotherapy of corticosteroids; other two patients were commenced on combined immunosuppression. In all these cases, the therapy was effective. CONCLUSION: Sympathetic ophthalmia is a rare, sight-threatening eye disease. Among the triggering factors dominates penetrating eye injury, however, there is currently an increase in the number of cases with sympathetic ophthalmia following eye surgery, mainly pars plana vitrectomy. Early introduction of immunosuppressive treatment can get the disease under control, prevent the development of intraocular inflammation and improve visual outcomes.
Cases of ophthalmia neonatorum diagnosed at Grady Memorial Hospital 1967-1973 were reviewed. Of 302 cases 43 could be diagnosed as gonococcal, 86 chlamydial, 3 gonococcal and chlamydial, 31 staphylococcal, and 5 chemical. Silver nitrate prophylaxis was routinely employed. Gonococcal cases peaked during the third quarter of the year and chlamydial during the fourth quarter. Gonococcal cases were associated with a longer duration of ruptured fetal membranes. Definitive etiologic diagnosis could not be estalished on clinical grounds alone. Chlamydial ophthalmia was more common among black babies but other forms of ophthalmia were equally distributed with respect to race. The risk of gonococcal ophthalmia developing in an infant born to an infected mother was less than 2% if Credé prophylaxis is used. Therapy with topically applied sulfonamides was effective against chlamydial ophthalmia. Therapy with parenterally administered penicillin and topically applied antibiotics was effective against gonococcal ophthalmia.
PURPOSE: To analyze the results of cataract surgery in patients with sympathetic ophthalmia. SETTING: Sankara Nethralaya, Medical Research Foundation, Chennai, India. METHODS: This study comprised 66 patients (132 eyes) with sympathetic ophthalmia seen at the uveitis referral clinic between January 1990 and July 2001; 42 eyes (31.8%) had cataract. Cataract surgery was performed in 17 sympathizing eyes and 1 exciting eye (17 patients). The records of these 18 eyes were retrospectively analyzed. Three eyes had extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, 6 eyes had ECCE without IOL implantation, and 9 eyes had phacoemulsification with IOL implantation. The mean follow-up was 28.7 months (range 3 to 60 months). RESULTS: The causes of sympathetic ophthalmia were penetrating trauma (n = 8 eyes), ocular surgery (n = 6), perforated corneal ulcer (n = 2), and cyclocryotherapy (n = 1). The most common cataract type, present in 7 eyes (38.8%), was mixed (posterior subcapsular and posterior polar). Visual acuity improved after surgery in 13 eyes (72.2%). The main factors impairing visual recovery were submacular scar and optic atrophy, which were sequelae of the sympathetic ophthalmia. Posterior capsule opacification was noted in 14 eyes (77.7%); it was visually significant in 6 eyes. There was no significant difference in postoperative inflammation or disease reactivation between the 3 types of surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Cataract extraction in cases of sympathetic ophthalmia can be safely and successfully performed with vigilant preoperative and postoperative control of inflammation, careful surgical planning, and meticulous surgical technique. The final visual outcome, however, depends on the posterior segment complications of the disease.
In a Nairobi hospital where ocular prophylaxis against ophthalmia neonatorum has been discontinued, 1,019 women were screened for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis during labour and 7 and 28 days postpartum. The prevalence of gonococcal infection was 7% and that of chlamydial was 29%. 52.4% of gonococcal isolates produced penicillinase. The incidence of ophthalmia neonatorum was 23.2 per 100 live births, and incidences of gonococcal and chlamydial ophthalmia were 3.6 and 8.1 per 100 live births, respectively. Of 181 cases of neonatal conjunctivitis, 31% were caused by C trachomatis, 12% by N gonorrhoeae, and 3% by both. In 67 babies exposed to maternal gonococcal infection and 201 exposed to maternal chlamydial infection, rates of transmission to the eye were 42% and 31%, respectively, and to the throat were 7% and 2%. Gonococcal transmission rate was higher in mothers with concomitant chlamydial infection (68%; p = 0.01). Postpartum endometritis was associated with ophthalmia neonatorum (p less than 0.001). Ocular prophylaxis at birth for gonococcal ophthalmia should be reintroduced.
INTRODUCTION: Sympathetic ophthalmia, a diffuse bilateral granulomatous panuveitis, is a serious potential complication after penetrating eye injury. Many surgeons recommend enucleation within two weeks of trauma to prevent this condition. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with penetrating ocular injuries who had either evisceration or enucleation to determine the incidence of sympathetic ophthalmia and to evaluate the surgical interventions and their complications. Age at surgery, time after penetrating trauma, surgery technique, follow-up period, ophthalmic examination of the fellow eye, and surgical complications were evaluated. RESULTS: In total, 217 patients were included in the study with a mean follow-up period of 10.3 +/- 6.6 years. The longest time between the trauma and time of surgery was 43 years. Postoperative uveitis was observed in only one patient (0.5%) who had primary repair after injury. Histopathological review did not reveal typical sympathetic ophthalmia. Complications after enucleation were significantly higher than after evisceration. CONCLUSION: There was no histopathologically supported sympathetic ophthalmia in our series. Sympathetic ophthalmia is very rare even when the injured eye is retained. With this in mind, the first choice of treatment may not be enucleation. Furthermore, evisceration may be the procedure of choice if primary repair cannot be performed or for patients who have panophthalmitis.