Conjunctivitis

Background

• Inflammation of the conjunctiva

Etiology

• Viral
  • Adenovirus, which can also cause the more invasive epidemic keratoconjunctivitis
  • Herpes simplex virus
  • Other: variola virus, vaccinia virus, varicella-zoster virus, rubella virus, measles virus, influenza virus, Epstein-Barr virus
• Bacterial
  • Chlamydia trachomatis
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae
  • Haemophilus influenzae
• Non-infectious
  • Allergy
  • Chemical irritation

Clinical Manifestations

• Red, itchy, watery eye or eyes
  • If painful, suggests keratoconjunctivitis (involvement of cornea)
• Discharge tends to be more purulent in bacterial causes
• May have preauricular lymphadenopathy, especially in viral causes, Chlamydia, and Neisseria