Epidemiology of ophthalmia neonatorum: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: To elucidate the global epidemiology of Ophthalmia Neonatorum (ON), as well as its causative organisms and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns.

Methods: A systematic review of studies reporting the epidemiology of ON was performed using four electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Medline. Data were extracted and study-specific estimates were combined using meta-analysis to obtain pooled proportions.

Results: A total of 25 studies, which evaluated the epidemiology of ON in 1,117,966 live births, were included in this study. A total of 2,902 cases of ON were identified. The global incidence and prevalence of ON are 2.04% [(95% CI 0.70-5.79%), I² = 99.4%] and 7.79% [(95% CI 2.93-19.10%), I² = 99.1%], respectively. Staphylococcus spp. (gram-positive) and Serratia marcescens (gram-negative) were the most frequently isolated bacteria associated with the incidence of ON. The pooled resistance of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli are highest to Penicillin [91.67% (95% CI 87.96-94.31%) and 100.00% (95% CI 0.00-100.00%), respectively], and lowest to Gentamicin [20% (95% CI 15.85-24.91%) and 59.30% (95% CI 52.36-65.89%), respectively]. The pooled resistance of Pseudomonas spp. and Klebsiella spp. to Gentamicin are 50% [(95% CI 43.11 to 56.89%), I² = 0.00%] and 50.02% [(95% CI 27.50-72.53%), I² = 95.3%], respectively.

Conclusion: ON is a common ocular morbidity in neonates, especially in those from low-income settings. It is important that all newborns receive adequate preventive care, regardless of their socioeconomic status, in order to reduce the risk of visual impairment and blindness.