• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Neonatal conjunctivitis

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Definition:

Neonatal conjunctivitis is a red eye in a newborn caused by irritation, a blocked tear duct, or infection.

Alternative Names:

Newborn conjunctivitis; Conjunctivitis of the newborn; Ophthalmia neonatorum

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Conjunctivitis in a newborn may be caused by a blocked tear duct, irritation produced by the antibiotic eyedrops given at birth, or infection. Neonate conjunctivitis that is caused by an infection can be very serious.

Many organisms can cause infection in the eyes of newborn infants. The most common bacterial infections with that can cause serious eye damage are gonorrhea ( Neisseria gonorrhea ) and chlamydia ( Chlamydia trachomatis ), which can be passed from mother to child during birth.

The viruses that cause genital and oral herpes can also cause neonatal conjunctivitis and severe eye damage. Such viruses may also be passed to the baby during childbirth. However, herpes conjunctivitis is less common than conjunctivitis caused by gonorrhea and chlamydia.

Bacteria that normally live in a woman's vagina, which are not sexually transmitted, can also cause neonatal conjunctivitis.

The mother may be without symptoms ( asymptomatic ) at the time of delivery, yet still carry bacteria or viruses that can cause conjunctivitis in the newborn. Infected newborn infants develop drainage from the eyes within 1 day to 2 weeks after birth. The eyelids become puffy, red, and tender.

Because of the significance of neonatal conjunctivitis, all hospitals (most required by state law) routinely use silver nitrate or antibiotic drops, such as erythromycin, in a newborn's eyes to prevent disease. Silver nitrate is no longer commonly used, and has been mostly replaced by antibiotic eye drops.

• Review Date: 8/18/2006
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.