Can an antibiotic prevent infection?
An antibiotic generally only has an influence on the risk of infection and duration of a bacterial conjunctivitis. An infectious conjunctivitis caused by viruses, fungi or parasites remains unaffected by an antibiotic. This means that it cannot influence the risk of infection.
Instead, certain antibiotics can be given prophylactically to reduce the risk of infection and the onset of bacterial conjunctivitis. This antibiotic prophylaxis only makes sense under certain circumstances, for example to protect newborns and people with a very weakened immune system. The aim here is to avoid or minimize complications.
A general, prophylactic administration of antibiotics is strictly rejected. The danger of so-called resistance development and reproduction of bacteria is too great. If there is an exceptional situation, macrolide antibiotics, for example in the form of an erythromycin ointment, can be used in the case of an infection with Chlamydia.
This serves to prevent so-called inclusion bodies, which are the reproduction form of the bacteria. An antibiotic cannot prevent an infection if there is bacterial conjunctivitis. It can then only shorten the risk of infection somewhat.
If an antibiotic is taken, the first 2-3 days there is still a risk of infection. This is because the pathogen must first be killed. Even if the symptoms of the affected person are decreasing, this is no guarantee that the pathogen has been completely eliminated.
Conjunctivitis in pregnancy
Conjunctivitis in pregnancy can occur in the infectious or non-infectious form. Correspondingly, the risk of infection is given or not given, just as in non-pregnant women. The duration of conjunctivitis in pregnancy can have a comparatively longer healing process.
Since medication should be avoided as far as possible during pregnancy, bacterial conjunctivitis, for example, should only be treated with an antibiotic under certain circumstances. Consequently, the duration of the infection can be prolonged. In some pregnant women the immune system may be weakened, which can increase the risk of infection.
Caution should be exercised in the case of conjunctivitis of the mother shortly before birth, caused by Chlamydia or Gonococcus. In this case there is a risk that the child will be infected. Otherwise, both non-infectious and infectious conjunctivitis during pregnancy are usually harmless to the unborn child.
Pregnant women, like all other people, can develop conjunctivitis. This is usually not transmissible to the unborn child. An exception is made for bacterial conjunctivitis due to chlamydia or gonococcus.
Both bacteria cause venereal diseases and often remain undetected in the expectant mother. Only if an infection occurs in the last days before delivery can the bacteria be transmitted to the baby during birth in the birth canal. In babies, chlamydia and gonococcus lead to conjunctivitis.
A viral infection of the mother with herpes viruses, which cause genital herpes in women, can also be transmitted to the baby during birth and cause conjunctivitis. (see: Conjunctivitis in babies) If conjunctivitis occurs in an expectant mother, it can either be caused by bacteria or viruses and is in this case contagious, or it can be caused by an allergy or by dust, smoke or foreign bodies in the eye. However, there is no risk of infection for the unborn child.
If conjunctivitis is due to allergies or external stimuli, it is not contagious and usually heals on its own after two to three days. The eye should be protected and if it is very dry, so-called artificial tears, the eye drops Euphrasia, can provide relief. Euphrasia are homeopathic, i.e. purely herbal eye drops, which pose no risk to the expectant mother or the unborn child.
If the symptoms do not improve after about 3 to 5 days, a doctor should be consulted to decide on the further treatment of conjunctivitis. Even conjunctivitis caused by a virus can only be treated symptomatically. Again, especially for pregnant women, it is important to wait and see and to spare the eye.
Euphrasia eye drops can also be used. In the case of bacterial infections that have led to conjunctivitis, an antibiotic is usually necessary in most cases to bring about a quick healing. For pregnant women, eye drops or eye ointments containing the antibiotic gentamycin are recommended, as only a small part of this antibiotic is absorbed by the body and is almost never transmitted to the unborn child.
