The diagnosis is usually made by microscopic examination and culture of smears or scrapings from the cornea. If the patient is receiving treatment, it is advisable to temporarily discontinue it 24 hours before the examination.
Endophthalmitis develops when the infectious process is localized in the cavity of the eyeball. The term panophthalmitis is used when the infection spreads progressively, affecting all tissues of the eye.
Extraorbital cellulitis is characterized by the localization of the inflammatory process in front of the tarso-orbital fascia, which prevents the spread of infection into the orbit.
Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common cause of neonatal conjunctivitis in the West. The disease begins as a unilateral process but quickly spreads to the other eye.
Congenital herpes infection of newborns is associated with infection of the mother's genital tract. The infection is almost always transmitted during childbirth; less often, intrauterine infection occurs after rupture of the fetal membranes.
The incidence of toxoplasmosis varies widely among different geographic regions. In some countries, toxoplasmosis is extremely common, while in others it is rare.
When a woman becomes pregnant and develops infectious rubella, especially in the early stages of pregnancy, the incidence of a symptom complex known as congenital rubella syndrome increases dramatically.
