OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM IN A TRACHOMA ENDEMIC AREA

Background and Objectives: Chlamydia trachomatis can be directly trans mitted by sexual or perinatal contact and indirectly transmitted by fl ies or fomites. Whether distinct epidemiologic forces among human popu lations or biologic characteristics of the organism are responsible fo r the different routes of transmission is uncertain. Study Design: To determine if ophthalmia neonatorum and trachoma are linked epidemiolog ically, 38 infants with ophthalmia and 277 children with trachoma were studied for evidence of C. trachomatis infection using culture, antig en and DNA detection tests. The study was performed in a trachoma ende mic area of central Kenya. Results: Of infants with ophthalmia neonato rum, 8% to 9% had microbiologic evidence of ocular C. trachromatis inf ection. Of the children with trachoma, 31% had evidence of chlamydial infection. Ninety-two percent of the 59 identified strains causing tra choma belonged to the classic trachoma serovars (A, B, Ba and C). Neit her of the two chlamydial strains recovered from infants with ophthalm ia was a trachoma serovar. Mothers rarely (3%) had cervical C. trachom atis infection. Conclusion: This study does not support a major role f or perinatally transmitted C. trachomatis infection in trachoma epidem iology.