THE TREATMENT AND FOLLOW-UP OF ADULT CHLAMYDIAL OPHTHALMIA

Sixty two patients diagnosed as having adult chlamydial ophthalmia wer e treated with oral doxycycline and roxithromycin in association and t etracycline eye wash for 2 weeks. Chlamydial ophthalmia was diagnosed by laboratory detection of the micro-organism in ocular specimens usin g direct immuno-fluorescent monoclonal antibody staining for Chlamydia trachomatis, chlamydial culture in cycloheximide treated McCoy cells, and Giemsa staining. An immunoenzymatic method for detection of speci fic IgG and IgA in patients' serum was used as an additional test to c onfirm the diagnosis. All patients were reexamined 3 weeks after compl eting their course of antibiotics and in the case of persistent infect ion a further course of treatment was given. With this treatment regim en 48 out of 62 patients (77.4%) were cured after three courses. Becau se of the risks of an inadequate response to therapy, we recommend a p roper post-treatment follow up in all patients with chlamydial eye inf ections.