Prophylaxis and Treatment of Neonatal Gonococcal Infections

The Center for Disease Control (CDC), after consultation with a panel of experts, has revised its recommendations for prevention of gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum. These recommendations now state, "ophthalmic ointment or drops containing tetracycline or erythromycin or a 1% silver nitrate solution" are effective and acceptable.1-3 This is a change from previous recommendations which highlighted silver nitrate as the primary agent for prophylaxis.4 The American Academy of Pediatrics' committees support these recommendations. The prevalence of largely asymptomatic genital gonococcal infection in pregnant women and the occurrence of gonococcal ophthalmia in untreated infants (estimated at 28%)5 born to infected women indicate the need for continued prophylaxis for all newborn infants.