Inclusion Conjunctivitis
Definition
Inclusion conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, or white of the eye. In the neonate this condition is part of a larger group of eye diseases called neonatal conjunctivitis. Inclusion conjunctivitis is also called a chlamydial conjunctivitis.
Description
Chlamydiae are similar to bacteria but cannot produce their own energy and thus live in the cells of other organisms. Once inside the host cell, chlamydiae replicate and form inclusion bodies. They then replace and finally destroy the cell membrane of the host, releasing more chlamydiae to continue the infection process. The life cycle of chlamydia is 72 hours. Chlamydiae are found in parts of the body with a mucosal membrane, which are...
[The entire page is 1903 words long]
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