Management of gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum with single-dose kanamycin and ocular irrigation with saline

Antimicrobial susceptibility in Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from five sentinel surveillance sites in Zimbabwe, 2015-2016

OBJECTIVES

Gonorrhoea and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Neisseria gonorrhoeae are major public health concerns worldwide. Enhanced AMR surveillance for gonococci is essential globally. In Zimbabwe, very limited gonococcal AMR data were reported. Our aims were to (i) implement quality-assured gonococcal AMR surveillance in Zimbabwe and (ii) investigate gonococcal AMR at five health centres in 2015-2016.

METHODS

Gonococcal isolates from 104 men with urethral discharge were tested for susceptibility to kanamycin, ceftriaxone, cefixime, ciprofloxacin and azithromycin using Etest.

RESULTS

All isolates (102 possible to test) were susceptible to ceftriaxone and cefixime. The level of resistance (intermediate resistance) to kanamycin and ciprofloxacin was 2.0% (2.0%) and 18.6% (27.5%), respectively. The two kanamycin-resistant isolates (R≥128 mg/L) had a kanamycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of >256 mg/L. The ciprofloxacin resistance ranged from 9.5% to 30.8% in the five sentinel sites. Only 10 (9.6%) of the isolates were tested for susceptibility to azithromycin and 1 (10.0%) was resistant (MIC=4 mg/L).

CONCLUSIONS

The emergence of multidrug-resistant gonorrhoea internationally is a major public health concern and gonococcal AMR surveillance is crucial globally. In Zimbabwe, gonococcal AMR surveillance has now been implemented and quality assured according to WHO standards. The results of this first surveillance will be used to directly inform revisions of the national treatment guidelines. It is imperative to further strengthen the surveillance of gonococcal AMR, and ideally also treatment failures, in Zimbabwe and most countries in the WHO African region, which requires continuous national and international support, including technical support, and political and financial commitment.

Clinical significance of Credé's prophylaxis in germany at present

The introduction of silver nitrate for prophylaxis of gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum is one of the milestones of preventive medicine. However, in our time an increasing necessity to review Credé's prophylaxis from both a human rights and a medical standpoint is required. The chairmen of the obstetrics and gynecology departments of the German university hospitals were questioned to learn about their policy and experience. Data were provided by 22 of 28 consulted institutions, representing 31,700 annual deliveries seen over a mean period of 5.5 years. Ocular prophylaxis was in use in 16 (73%) of the reporting hospitals (1% silver nitrate in 14 and gentamicin in 2). A nonspecific conjunctival reaction occurred in 5-10% of the newborns, but no major side effects were seen. Non-gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum was observed in less than 0.1%; however, institutions without a preventive policy reported up to a 5% incidence of neonatal conjunctivitis, mostly due to Staphylococcus aureus, as well as Neisseria gonorrhoeae in two newborns. Application of silver nitrate is considered a necessary prophylactic measure and safe if it is properly administered. However, major efforts should be directed toward its replacement by alternative antiseptic substances as well as toward chlamydial screening and therapy in pregnancy.