KUMJ | VOL. 1 | NO. 4 | ISSUE 4 | OCT-DEC, 2003
Acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis: an epidemic in august/ September 2003
Karki DB, Shrestha CD, Shrestha S
Abstract: Objective: To clinically analyze 400 cases of red eye attending Nepal Eye Hospital in August/ September 2003 and
to study the aetiology of the disease on the clinical basis with available laboratory resources.
Materials and methods: It is a prospective study of 400 cases of acute conjunctivitis visiting Nepal Eye Hospital
during the epidemic of acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis in August/September 2003.
Result: 30.5% presented in the age group of 20-29 years. Males presented predominantly (73.3%). Maximum
number of patients presented at two days of onset of symptoms. All 400 cases had red eye, 89.8% had pain, 86.3%
had foreign body sensation and 87.5% had discharge. Bilateral involvement was seen in 73.5% and unilateral
involvement in 26.5%, 4.3 % of the total cases had corneal involvement and 20% of the cases had associated fever
and preauricular lymphadenopathy.
Conclusion: Based on clinical presentation and the report of available laboratory results, picorna virus was found to
be responsible for this epidemic of acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis.
Keyword : Haemorrhage, Conjunctivitis, Superficial Punctate Keratitis, Lymphadenopathy, Picorna virus
