Which organism causes inclusion conjunctivitis and can be transmitted to newborns during delivery?

• A. Chlamydia trachomatis
• B. Neisseria gonorrhoeae
• C. Staphylococcus aureus
• D. Adenovirus

Answer: (A)

Inclusion conjunctivitis is caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, an obligate intracellular bacterium that forms inclusion bodies inside conjunctival epithelial cells. This organism can be transmitted to newborns during delivery when the baby passes through an infected birth canal, leading to conjunctival infection in the first week or two of life. The newborn form typically presents with mucopurulent discharge and conjunctival inflammation. While other pathogens like Neisseria gonorrhoeae can also be transmitted during birth and cause neonatal conjunctivitis, that condition is not the “inclusion” type and tends to be more acute and purulent. Adenovirus and Staphylococcus aureus can cause conjunctivitis as well, but they are not associated with the neonatal perinatal transmission pattern or the characteristic inclusion conjunctivitis of Chlamydia.