Why does topical erythromycin work for gonnorrheah but not chlamydia?

[catzzz88]

Title says it all.

For newborns with eye exposure, we give erythromycin eye drops to cover gonorrhea and erythromycin orally to cover chlamydia.

I do not understand why.

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[IntheClouds4ever]

chlamydia is an obligate intracellular organism, N. gonorrhea is not (extracellular)

 

[deep582]

Oral erythromycin is necessary for newborn chlamydial conjunctivitis due to risk of chlamydial pneumonia if the exposure is not adequately treated

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1192190-treatment#d10

 

[catzzz88]

Thank you!!