Chlamydial conjunctivitis - causes and treatment

Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye is called conjunctivitis. Chlamydial conjunctivitis is caused by microorganisms that belong to the genus Chlamydiaceae psittaci. Development of the disease contributes to a decrease in the natural resistance of the body. The incubation period is about 10-15 days. Chlamydia can multiply only inside cells.

Chlamydial conjunctivitis - pathogens

In the macroorganism, chlamydia first colonize the mononuclear phagocyte system (cytopathic macrophage infection). With the help of these phagocytes, chlamydia penetrate into various organs, including the meandering channels of the testes, where there are all conditions for the continued existence of the infectious agent (natural reservoir of infection). Intrauterine infection of the fetus is carried out through infected sperm. Also, a vertical path of infection (from mother to child during pregnancy or during labor) is possible. In addition, you can get infected and fecal-oral, contact, aerogenic. Chlamydia infected macrophages and monocytes spread the infectious origin in all tissues and organs. Depending on the selectivity of the lesion, various clinical manifestations of chlamydial infection (keratoconjunctivitis, pneumonia, arthritis, etc.) are observed-secondly, chlamydia colonize the epithelial cells of many organs and systems.

Chlamydial conjunctivitis - symptoms

First, there is a unilateral conjunctivitis (although in newborns, two eyes are simultaneously affected simultaneously). Excess of exudate, swelling of eyelids, photophobia is observed. The surface of the swollen mucous membrane acquires a granular appearance. Over time, the inflammation passes to the cornea; There is a pronounced pericorneal injection of blood vessels, corneal opacity, sometimes ulcers. Possible formation of a thorn in the eyes.

Chlamydial conjunctivitis - diagnosis

A microscopic examination of the preparations - prints and smears obtained by scarification from the surface of the affected conjunctiva at the initial stage of the disease is carried out. With the diagnosis of chlamydia eye in the blood of patients and those who have recovered, they detect complement-binding antibodies. Identification of the pathogen is carried out on chick embryos. The most accessible method of diagnosis is the study of blood serum of patients in the DSC with a group-specific antigen of chlamydia. The disease should be differentiated from keratoconjunctivitis caused by staphylococci, streptococci, mycoplasmas, and also from adenoviral conjunctivitis.

Chlamydial conjunctivitis treatment

In acute forms of the disease should stop visiting the bath, swimming in the pool. It should be said that in the chronic form of the disease, bathing in swimming pools and visiting a bath is also contraindicated. In acute form, the patient is isolated for the duration of treatment. The course of treatment can last up to one and a half months. If you do not take appropriate measures to treat the chronic form of chlamydial conjunctivitis, complications and relapses of the disease can occur. For example, with chlamydial lesions, hearing may decrease. At the heart of the treatment is frequent washing of the conjunctival sac with antiseptic (2% boric acid, penicillin solution, 10% sulfapiridazine sodium, sodium sulfacil, gentamicin, tobramycin, sisomycin, kanamycin). Sometimes practice pawning for the eyelids tetracycline, dibiomycin, erythromycin ointment. Assign immunostimulating agents - thymogen, levamisole, T-activin, vylosen, bestim, gepon. Antifungal - nizoral, nystatin, griseofulvin, levorin, tenonitrazole, tolciclate. For the instillation of medicinal products, individual pipettes are used. For laying ointment - individual sticks.