Conjunctivitis virus

Most viruses that cause conjunctivitis spread through hand-to-eye contact by hands or objects that are contaminated with the infectious virus. Having contact with infectious tears, eye discharge, fecal matter, or respiratory discharges can contaminate hands. Viral conjunctivitis can also spread by large respiratory tract droplets. As viral conjunctivitis can be highly contagious, infected individuals should be counseled to prevent transmission e. Most cases of acute, infectious conjunctivitis in adults are viral and self-limited; these cases do not require antimicrobial treatment.

Antiviral medication may be used to treat more serious forms of conjunctivitis, such as conjunctivitis caused by herpes simplex virus or varicella-zoster virus. Depending on the cause of viral conjunctivitis, some patients may have additional symptoms or conditions, such as the following:. Top of Page. This illustration shows Streptococcus pneumoniae , one common cause of bacterial conjunctivitis.

Bacterial conjunctivitis can spread from person to person in many ways. Br J Ophthalmol. Antibiotics versus placebo for acute bacterial conjunctivitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis: anti-coxsackievirus A24 variant secretory immunoglobulin A in acute and convalescent tear. Clin Ophthalmol. Molecular epidemiology of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis caused by coxsackie A type 24 variant in China, Sci Rep.

Clinical features of patients infected with novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Am J Ophthalmol. Human Adenovirus Surveillance - United States, Prim Care. Chintakuntlawar AV, Chodosh J. Cellular and tissue architecture of conjunctival membranes in epidemic keratoconjunctivitis. Ocul Immunol Inflamm.

Viral conjunctivitis: a retrospective study in an Australian hospital. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. Narayana S, McGee S. Am J Med. Sethuraman U, Kamat D. The red eye: evaluation and management. Clin Pediatr Phila. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis of viral and chlamydial keratoconjunctivitis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. Kaufman HE. Adenovirus advances: new diagnostic and therapeutic options. Curr Opin Ophthalmol. Sensitivity and specificity of the AdenoPlus point-of-care system in detecting adenovirus in conjunctivitis patients at an ophthalmic emergency department: a diagnostic accuracy study.

Sensitivity and specificity of the AdenoPlus test for diagnosing adenoviral conjunctivitis. JAMA Ophthalmol. Adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis. Surv Ophthalmol. Appropriate prescribing for viral conjunctivitis. Aust Fam Physician. Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi. Povidone iodine in the treatment of adenoviral conjunctivitis in infants.

Cutan Ocul Toxicol. Treatment of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis with a combination of povidone-iodine 1. Acta Ophthalmol. Levine J, Snyder RW. Practical ophthalmic microbiology. J Ophthalmic Nurs Technol. Eye Contact Lens. Viral Conjunctivitis. In: StatPearls [Internet]. In this Page. Related information. Similar articles in PubMed. Review Suicidal Ideation [StatPearls. The role of topical moxifloxacin, a new antibacterial in Europe, in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis. Clin Drug Investig.

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Eye care during the coronavirus pandemic. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Accessed June 15, Pink eye: How long is it contagious? The Merck Manual was first published in as a service to the community. Learn more about our commitment to Global Medical Knowledge.

This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Common Health Topics. Videos Figures Images Quizzes Symptoms. Commonly Searched Drugs. Symptoms and Signs. Key Points. Conjunctival and Scleral Disorders. Test your knowledge. When treating a patient with a foreign body in the eye, examination of the eye using a slit lamp is appropriate.

If at any time during the examination an intraocular foreign body or penetrating injury is suspected, which of the following is the most appropriate next step? More Content. Viral Conjunctivitis By Melvin I. Click here for Patient Education. Clinical evaluation. Supportive measures. Viral conjunctivitis is highly contagious, and transmission precautions must be followed. Was This Page Helpful? Yes No.