[Occurrence and diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in newborns and young infants (author's transl)].

Chlamydia trachomatis was assayed using McCoy cell culture on vaginal swabs from pregnant women and on conjunctival and nasopharyngeal swabs from newborns. C. trachomatis was found in 23 of 168 pregnant women (8%) and in 15 of 298 newborns (5%). Six newborns developed a typical inclusion conjunctivitis, whereas three infants developed pneumonia caused by C. trachomatis. Of a total of 50 children with conjunctivitis, C. trachomatis was found in six of 22 newborns, in four of 22 infants (2-3 months old) and in none of the older infants and children. Specific antibodies in serum could be demonstrated in most patients by the microimmunofluorescence technique, whereas antibodies against C. trachomatis were only found in a small percentage of the healthy children of various ages. Recommendations are given for the diagnosis of infections caused by C. trachomatis in newborns and infants.