Neonatal Conjunctivitis Caused by Neisseria cinerea: A Case of Mistaken Identity

Abstract

We report a case of a 3-day-old boy with Neisseria cinerea conjunctivitis, originally misidentified as Neisseria gonorrhoeae conjunctivitis. Neonates are at increased risk for disseminated gonococcal infection, and physicians should be cognizant of N cinerea and its potential to be mistaken for N gonorrhoeae.

Recurrent Neisseria cinerea bacteremia secondary to cardiovascular implantable electronic device infection

“…While N. cinerea is generally considered a commensal organism, cases of invasive infection have been reported, primarily occurring in immunocompromised hosts. The spectrum of disease is broad and includes ocular infections in pediatric patients, particularly neonates [11] , [12] , [13] , pulmonary infection [14] , [15] , peritonitis in patients receiving peritoneal dialysis [16] , [17] , [18] , and bacteremia [4] , [6] , [10] , [15] , [19] , [20] , [21] , [22] . Infection of the central nervous system has been reported, although was probably due to direct inoculation in both cases [10] , [20] .…”

Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infections

“…Heart Endocarditis [122,123] Oral cavity/fistula Submandibular wound [124] Sputum Possible bronchitis [124] Sputa Possible bronchitis [124] Lung Lung abscess [124] Blood (Insufficient clinical data) [124] N. canis Lung Bronchiectasis [125] Skin Purulent wound/cellulitis [126] N. cinerea Blood Septicemia [127,128] Brain Meningitis [128] Genitourinary tract Genital infections [129] Urinary infection [130] Peritoneum Peritonitis [131] Eye Conjunctivitis/ophthalmia neonatorum [132,133] N. dumasiana Sputum (Insufficient clinical data) [134] Table 1. Cont.…”

“…Thus, only exemplar reports are cited in this current review (Table 1). These cases and other pathologies associated with infection with non-pathogenic Neisseria spp., such us peritonitis [131,192], purulent wound and cellulitis [126], osteomyelitis [138], skin ulceration [195], visceral botryomycosis [165], neonatal conjunctivitis [132,133], and cystitis [168] have been thoroughly reviewed by Liu et al in 2015 [1] (Table 1).…”

Atypical, Yet Not Infrequent, Infections with Neisseria Species

“…Despite DGI being a rare complication, its incidence is currently increasing relative to the steady increase in the incidence of gonorrhea worldwide [45]. N. cinerea Blood Septicemia [127,128] Brain Meningitis [128] Genitourinary tract Genital infections [129] Urinary infection [130] Peritoneum Peritonitis [131] Eye Conjunctivitis/ophthalmia neonatorum [132,133] N. dumasiana Sputum (Insufficient clinical data) [134] N. elongata Heart Endocarditis [135,136] Blood Septicemia [137] Bone Osteomyelitis [138] N. flava Heart Rheumatic heart disease/ventricular septaldefect/endocarditis [139] Endocarditis [140] Blood Sepsis/conjunctival petechia [139] N. flavescens Heart Endocarditis [141,142] Brain Meningitis [143,144] Blood Septicemia [145,146] Lung Pneumonia/empyema [147] Genitourinary tract Genital infections [148] N. lactamica Brain Meningitis [149,150] Blood Septicemia [145,151] Pharynx Pharyngitis [152] Lung Cavitary lesion [153] Pneumonia [154] Genitourinary tract Genital infections [129,155,156] N. mucosa Heart Endocarditis [157][158][159] Brain Meningitis [160,161] Blood Septicemia…”

“…Thus, only exemplar reports are cited in this current review (Table 1). These cases and other pathologies associated with infection with non-pathogenic Neisseria spp., such us peritonitis [131,192], purulent wound and cellulitis [126], osteomyelitis [138], skin ulceration [195], visceral botryomycosis [165], neonatal conjunctivitis [132,133], and cystitis [168] have been thoroughly reviewed by Liu et al in 2015 [1] (Table 1).…”