Aetiology and Antibiotic Sensitivity Pattern of Ophthalmia Neonatorum in Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.

Abstract

Summary. Background: Ophthalmia neonatorum (ON), a major cause of blindness in neonates, may be septic or aseptic. Its infective causes have shown changing patterns over time and in different centres worldwide. In view of the paucity of information on various aspects of ON in our environment, we decided to study its aetiological factors and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the causative organisms at Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital (EBSUTH), Abakaliki, South-Eastern Nigeria. Method: This was a retrospective review of the case notes and bacteriological culture results of all cases of ophthalmia neonatorum seen over a five-year period, June 2003-June 2008, in EBSUTH, Abakaliki. Results: Forty neonates out of 8509 live births, had ophthalmia neonatorum during the study period, giving an incidence of 4.7/1000 live births. Twenty two (55 percent) were males while 18 (45 percent) were females. Thirty three (82.5 percent) neonates presented with symptoms within seven days of life. Results of eye swab cultures were retrieved in 33 cases (82.5 percent), of which 24 (72.7 percent) yielded growth and nine (27.3 percent), no growth. Six bacterial genera were isolated, of which Staphylococcus aureus in 14 (42.4 percent) patients was the most prevalent followed by Pseudomonas spp in four (12.1 percent) and Escherichia coli in two others (6.1 percent). Fifteen (62.5 percent) of the 24 isolates were sensitive to gentamicin, 10 (41.7 percent) to ciprofloxacin, and eight (33.3 percent) to ofloxacin. Conclusion: Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant infective cause of ophthalmia neonatorum in EBSUTH, Abakaliki and gentamicin was the drug to which most of the causative organisms, including Staphylooccus arreus were sensitive. Therefore, we recommend gentamicin eye drops as the preferred empirical antibiotic