Risk factors:
(1) vaginal delivery of a mother with untreated cervical gonorrhea. This can be missed if the mother has no or limited prenatal care.
(2) failure to instill silver nitrate or antibiotic solution into the eyes after delivery
Clinical findings:
(1) Acute conjunctivitis develops within a few days of birth.
(2) The eyelid of an affected eye may be edematous.
(2) The patient develops a purulent ocular discharge containing Gram-negative diplococci.
If untreated the infection may lead to corneal ulceration and blindness, sometimes rapidly The exposed infant is also at risk for disseminated gonococcal septicemia.
Treatment includes topical instillation into both conjunctiva of either:
(1) 1% aqueous solution of silver nitrate, or
(2) ophthalmic antibiotics
