An early double case of acute Ophthalmia neonatorum in 3-day-old twins is reported. Culture of eye swabs showed a wide bacterial polymorphism, in which common bacteria, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Corynebacterium ulcerans and other Enterobacteriaceae, coexisted with atypical Mycoplasmataceae and Chlamydiaceae from resident cervical-vaginal maternal microbiota. The neonates were in an apparently healthy state, but showed red eyes with abundant greenish-yellow secretion, mild chemosis and lid edema. The maternal cervical-vaginal ecosystem resulted differently positive to the same common cultivable, atypical bacteria culturally and molecularly determined. This suggested a direct maternal-foetal transmission or a further foetal contamination before birth. An extended culture analysis for common bacteria to atypical ones was decisive to describe the involvement of Mycoplasmas (M. hominis and U. urealyticum) within the scenario of the Ophthalmia neonatorum in a Caucasian couple. The introduction of a routine PCR molecular analysis for Chlamydiaceae and N. gonorrhoeae allowed to establish which of these were present at birth, and contributed to determine the correct laboratory diagnosis and to define an adequate therapeutic protocol obtaining a complete resolution after one year for culture and atypical bacteria controls. This study suggests to improve the quality of laboratory diagnosis as unavoidable support to a correct clinical diagnosis and therapy, in a standardized modality both for swabbing and scraping, to check the new-born microbial programming starting in uterus, overtaking the “cultural age” to the “molecular age”, and to revise the WHO guidelines of “SAFE Strategy” for trachoma eye disease, transforming it into “SAFES Strategy” where the “S” letter is the acronym of “Sexual ecosystem and behavioural valuation/education”.

Diagnosis of a Neonatal Ophthalmic Discharge, Ophthalmia Neonatorum, in the “Molecular Age”: Investigation for a Correct Therapy

Gallenga, C. E.
Secondo
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
;
Maritati, M.
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
Perri, P.
Conceptualization
;
Contini, C.
Penultimo
Writing – Review & Editing
;
2018

Abstract

An early double case of acute Ophthalmia neonatorum in 3-day-old twins is reported. Culture of eye swabs showed a wide bacterial polymorphism, in which common bacteria, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Corynebacterium ulcerans and other Enterobacteriaceae, coexisted with atypical Mycoplasmataceae and Chlamydiaceae from resident cervical-vaginal maternal microbiota. The neonates were in an apparently healthy state, but showed red eyes with abundant greenish-yellow secretion, mild chemosis and lid edema. The maternal cervical-vaginal ecosystem resulted differently positive to the same common cultivable, atypical bacteria culturally and molecularly determined. This suggested a direct maternal-foetal transmission or a further foetal contamination before birth. An extended culture analysis for common bacteria to atypical ones was decisive to describe the involvement of Mycoplasmas (M. hominis and U. urealyticum) within the scenario of the Ophthalmia neonatorum in a Caucasian couple. The introduction of a routine PCR molecular analysis for Chlamydiaceae and N. gonorrhoeae allowed to establish which of these were present at birth, and contributed to determine the correct laboratory diagnosis and to define an adequate therapeutic protocol obtaining a complete resolution after one year for culture and atypical bacteria controls. This study suggests to improve the quality of laboratory diagnosis as unavoidable support to a correct clinical diagnosis and therapy, in a standardized modality both for swabbing and scraping, to check the new-born microbial programming starting in uterus, overtaking the “cultural age” to the “molecular age”, and to revise the WHO guidelines of “SAFE Strategy” for trachoma eye disease, transforming it into “SAFES Strategy” where the “S” letter is the acronym of “Sexual ecosystem and behavioural valuation/education”.
2018
Gallenga, Pe.; Del Boccio, M.; Gallenga, C. E.; Neri, G.; Pennelli, A.; Toniato, E.; Lobefalo, L.; Maritati, M.; Perri, P.; Contini, C.; Del Boccio, G.
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
DOC250518-25052018162708.pdf

solo gestori archivio

Descrizione: Full text editoriale
Tipologia: Full text (versione editoriale)
Licenza: NON PUBBLICO - Accesso privato/ristretto
Dimensione 826.29 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
826.29 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11392/2384422
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 1
  • Scopus 2
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 1
social impact