Gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum

Abstract Gonococcal ophthalmia (proved by cultures) occurred in 11 infants delivered at the Jewish Hospital and Medical Center of Brooklyn (JHMCB) during a three and one-half-year period. Two more infants had conjunctivitis with presumptive evidence of gonococci (Gram stain of eye discharge). Silver nitrate was instilled in the eyes of the neonates by registered nurses. Maternal histories of these infants showed lack of prenatal care in ten, history of gonorrhea in pregnancy in three, and positive serology (STS) in two; ten of the mothers were unmarried. The over-all incidence of gonorrhea at the JHMCB prenatal clinic screening program is very low (0.02 per cent). Prevention of neonatal gonorrheal ophthalmia depends on: vigorous screening of mothers at delivery as well as during prenatal visits, careful attention to instillation of silver nitrate in the neonates' eyes, development of serologic tests for gonorrhea, and improved bacteriologic methods for culturing the organism.