Article Text

Download PDFPDF
Case report
Haemolacria: a case of pseudomembranous conjunctivitis in a neonate
  1. Michelle Marie Boffa and
  2. Amaris Spiteri
  1. Department of Adolescent and Child Health, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta
  1. Correspondence to Dr Michelle Marie Boffa; michelle-marie.boffa{at}gov.mt

Abstract

We report an unusual case of an 11-day-old neonate presenting with haemolacria on a background of sticky conjunctival discharge. This was secondary to Chlamydia pseudomembranous conjunctivitis which responded well to systemic erythromycin. Early appropriate treatment is important to prevent progression of the ophthalmic infection, which could lead to blindness, and to prevent other manifestations of neonatal chlamydial infection, particularly pneumonia, which could be fatal. Management also includes treating the mother and educating about sexually transmitted infections.

  • ophthalmology
  • materno-fetal medicine
  • sexual transmitted infections (bacterial)
  • chlamydia
  • infectious diseases

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request Permissions

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

Footnotes

  • Contributors MMB was the initial doctor assessing the patient in the emergency department and AS was the paediatric emergency department consultant on-site on the day, who subsequently reviewed the patient and helped in managing, including follow-up after the acute period. The report was initially drafted by MMB and subsequently reviewed and with further appropriate input by AS, to compile the final case report. Thus, both authors (MMB and AS) contributed to the clinical care and management of this patient, together with the compiling of this report.

  • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Patient consent for publication Parental/guardian consent obtained.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.