Prevalence of Ophthalmia Neonatorum in Kano State, Nigeria

Aim: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Ophthalmia Neonatorum (ON) in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano, Nigeria. Methods: This is a crosssectional prospective study involving 53 neonates with ON born in AKTH from 1st February 2021 to 1st July 2021 and met the inclusion criteria. Eye swabs were taken from the Labor ward, Post-Natal and Special Care Baby Unit in AKTH, Kano. A data collection form was used to extract information about the participants including, age at presentation, gender, mode of delivery, severity of the condition and unit where the samples were collected. Chi-Square (X2 ) was done using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS), version 25. Results: Out of 1862 live births, 53 had ON indicating a prevalence rate of 2.7%, 28(52.8%) and 25(47.2%) were males and females respectively. Fifty-three (53) samples of eye swabs were cultured from which Staphylococcus aureus, streptococci species, pseudomonas aurignosa, Escherichia coli, and klebsellia were isolated and only 3 yielded no growth. Three (3) to 5 days was found to be the highest age at presentation, 50(94.3%) of the cases were mild conditions, and 42(79.2%) were delivered through Spontaneous Vertex Delivery. No relationship existed between bacteria isolates, gender and location where the samples were collected with a p-value of 0.396 and 0.556 at 0.05 level of significance respectively. Conclusion: Babies presenting with ON were mostly in SCBU and Post Natal. There is a need for regular eye swabs for microbiological investigations before treatment.