Neonatal conjunctivitis in the New Zealand Midland region

To assess the incidence of chlamydial and gonorrhoeal neonatal conjunctivitis (CON and GON), across six district health boards in the greater Midland region of New Zealand.

All positive nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) eye swabs for Chlamydia trachomatis and NAAT and bacterial eye swabs for Neisseria gonorrhoeae in infants under one year of age were retrieved from three laboratories from 2013-2016. Incidence density rates were calculated using births information from Statistics New Zealand. A subgroup analysis of Waikato and Tairāwhiti cases were further analysed.

Calculated rates for the Greater Midland region are CON, 145.9 per 100,000 births/year and GON, 3.79 per 100,000 births/year. For Tairāwhiti and Waikato, the incidence of CON is 2.5 times greater in Māori than non-Māori (95% CI 1.3-5.1, P<0.01). There was no significant difference in mean NZDep13 for Māori vs non-Māori. Mean maternal age at birth was 20.

Greater Midland region rates of CON and GON are higher compared to other international reported rates. For Tairāwhiti and Waikato, rates of CON are significantly higher in Māori than non-Māori, although there is no difference in mean NZDep13 scores between Māori and non-Māori. CON appears to be a condition of babies of young mothers with higher deprivation.