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Conjuntivitis neonatal - Overview

Nombres alternativos

Conjuntivitis del recién nacido; Conjuntivitis del neonato; Oftalmía neonatal; Conjuntivitis herpética neonatal

Definición:

Es la hinchazón (inflamación) o infección del tejido que recubre los párpados en un recién nacido.

Causas, incidencia y factores de riesgo:

La conjuntivitis neonatal casi siempre es causada por:

  • Un conducto lacrimal obstruido
  • Infección por bacterias o virus o por irritación producida por gotas oftálmicas antibióticas administradas llamadas nitrato de plata (estas gotas ya casi no se emplean)

La conjuntivitis neonatal que es causada por una infección por bacterias o virus puede ser grave. Las infecciones bacterianas más comunes que pueden causar daño ocular grave son la gonorrea (Neisseria gonorrhoea) y la clamidia (Chlamydia trachomatis), las cuales pueden pasar de la madre al niño durante el nacimiento.

Las bacterias que normalmente viven en la vagina de una mujer también causan conjuntivitis neonatal.

Los virus que causan el herpes genital y oral también se le pueden transmitir al bebé durante el nacimiento, llevando a conjuntivitis neonatal y daño ocular grave. Sin embargo, la conjuntivitis por herpes es menos común que la conjuntivitis causada por gonorrea y clamidia.

La madre puede estar sin síntomas (asintomática) al momento del parto, pero sigue portando las bacterias o los virus que pueden causar conjuntivitis en el recién nacido.

  • Reviewed last on: 12/11/2009
  • Kimberly G. Lee, MD, MSc, IBCLC, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

Referencias

Rubenstein JB, Virasch V. Conjunctivitis: infectious and noninfectious. In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2008:chap 4.6.

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