Pneumonia in infants due to Chlamydia trachomatis

A survey of chlamydia pneumonitis was carried out over a two-month period in 1978-1979 in infants under six months of age admitted to hospital. The series included 13 cases, all of which had physical and roentgenological signs of pneumonia. Throat cultures were obtained for bacteria, mycoplasma and viruses. Eye swabs and nasopharyngeal aspirates were cultured for Chlamydia trachomatis. In three cases positive cultures were obtained from nasopharyngeal aspirates and in one of these there was a positive conjunctiva culture as well. This organism appears to be a not uncommon cause of respiratory infection in very young infants in Israel, as in other countries.