Bacterial conjunctivitis: features, symptoms, treatment, prevention

Bacterial conjunctivitis is a fairly common eye disease, which, without proper treatment, leads to serious complications. In order to maintain the health of your eyes, you need to know how the bacterial conjunctivitis, what are its symptoms and how to treat conjunctivitis in the case of the onset of symptoms of this disease.

What it is?

Bacterial conjunctivitis is an inflammatory disease of the eye that is characterized by an infectious lesion of the eye's mucous membrane (conjunctiva). Conjunctiva is a thin transparent tissue that lines the inner surface of the eyelid.

Bacterial conjunctivitis can have various forms:

• Lightning fast.It is characterized by bright, pronounced clinical symptoms that progress rapidly. The incubation period of fulminant bacterial conjunctivitis, as a rule, is 1-3 days. Since this disease increases the risk of cornea damage, antibiotic therapy should be started as soon as possible.
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• Sharp.Clinical symptoms in the acute form of the disease are less pronounced than with lightning-fast bacterial conjunctivitis. As a rule, very often the bulbar conjunctiva is affected and a large amount of purulent exudate is released. The disease caused by pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Moraxella catarrhalis may eventually become chronic, and therefore requires compulsory treatment. Also, without the absence of treatment for lesions of the conjunctiva with staphylococcal infection, the occurrence of chronic blepharitis is possible. The acute form of bacterial conjunctivitis, as a rule, is treated within 10-14 days.
• Chronic.In most cases, the causative agent of chronic bacterial conjunctivitis is Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus aureus). Very often this form of the disease is accompanied by blepharitis, which is very difficult for antibiotic therapy.

Causes

The cause of bacterial conjunctivitis are gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Among the main pathogens of the disease can be identified:

• pneumococcus (Streptococcus pneumoniae);
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
• E. coli (Escherichia coli);
• Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus aureus);
• Haemophilus influenzae;
• gonococcus (Neisseria gonorrhoeae).

In some cases, the disease causes several types of pathogens (including viral or fungal), which contributes to a significant complication of treatment of the disease.

As a rule, on the mucous membrane of the eye, each person always has a certain amount of pathogenic microorganisms. They cause an inflammatory process in the eye conjunctiva with the following factors:

• severe hypothermia of the body;
• weakening of protective functions and falling of the immune status;
• state of stress;
• diseases of the ENT organs (sinusitis, otitis media, tonsillitis);
• general weakness of the body after the viral diseases;
• associated eye diseases (blepharitis, dry eye syndrome, problems of tear ducts);
• erythema multiforme.

Bacterial conjunctivitis is an extremely contagious disease. They can get infected by interacting with the patient, by using common household items, and also by airborne droplets. Transmission of the infection is usually carried out through mucopurulent discharge.

In order not to become infected with bacterial conjunctivitis, the following rules must be adhered to:

• The patient should be isolated as much as possible from communication with healthy people. It is advisable for him to allocate a separate room.
• The patient should have a separate dishware, a towel, bed linen. They should be regularly boiled (every few days). Pipettes and sticks for ointment must also be boiled daily.
• It is necessary to wash hands thoroughly after interaction with a sick person and his personal belongings.

Often, bacterial conjunctivitis affects people who prefer wearing contact lenses.

As a rule, infection occurs while ignoring the rules of hygiene.Through unwashed hands, bacteria penetrate the surface of the product, into solutions and containers to contain optics, resulting in infection of the mucous membranes of the eyes.

In 20-40% of cases, bacterial conjunctivitis occurs in newborns who have passed through the infected birth canal of their mothers. Conjunctivitis in newborns, as a rule, is caused by gonococcal or chlamydial infection and is quite a dangerous eye disease with serious complications.When there is gonococcal or chlamydial conjunctivitis, the patient always has an urogenital infection.

The defeat of only one eye with bacterial conjunctivitis

Symptoms

In order to provide first aid and promptly consult a doctor, it is necessary to know how bacterial conjunctivitis is manifested. As the main symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis can be identified:

Conjunctivitis in children

• photophobia;
• copious lacrimation;
• irritation of the mucosa;
• edema of the conjunctiva and eyelids;
• hyperemia of the mucous membrane of the eye;
• point hemorrhages;
• turbid, viscous mucopurulent discharge from the conjunctival cavity (usually yellow, gray or greenish hue);
• dryness of the conjunctiva and skin around the affected eye;
• the sensation of a foreign body in the eye and pain.

In the acute form of bacterial conjunctivitis, the following additional symptoms may also appear:

• a subfebrile condition;
• headache;
• insomnia;
• lesions of the respiratory tract.

With severe forms of bacterial conjunctivitis (eg, trachoma or gonoblenorea), conjunctiva can develop scarring.

In a neglected state, the inflammatory process spreads to the cornea, which subsequently leads to severe consequences for the eye.

Bacterial conjunctivitis in infancy is not uncommon

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of bacterial conjunctivitis is performed in an ophthalmic room using special equipment.

When diagnosing bacterial conjunctivitis, the ophthalmologist performs a biomicroscopy of the anterior segment of the eye.This method of examination is used to detect the smallest changes in the eye, the detection of small foreign bodies and the determination of depth location of the pathological process, detailed examination of the conjunctiva, horn and iris, lens, vitreous and ocular bottom. With the help of biomicroscopy, one can detect the early stage of most eye diseases.

During biomicroscopy, a special optical device is used - a slit lamp. During the examination of the anterior segment of the eye, the patient is diagnosed with congestion flushing and flaccidity, vascular injection, papillary and follicular growths, and corneal defects.

To identify the causative agent of the disease is carried out bacteriological examination of purulent exudate.To do this, the patient takes a smear from the conjunctiva with a special sterile loop. As a rule, the result of the study is obtained within 6-7 days.When the disease with conjunctivitis in the smear will always be found pathogenic microflora.If it is detected, further study of its sensitivity to modern antibacterial drugs.

Treatment

As a rule, a qualified ophthalmologist deals with the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis.It is not recommended to treat bacterial conjunctivitis by yourself, since with serious treatment, serious complications can subsequently occur.

For the treatment of conjunctivitis, topical drugs containing bactericidal antibiotics are used.

As a rule, the following drugs are prescribed:

• Erythromycin ointment;
• Tetracycline ointment;
• Gentamicin ointment;
• drops Gentamicin;
• Fluoroquinolones (Ofloxacin, Lomefloxacin, Ciprofloxacin).

Often, ophthalmologists prescribe drops of Moxifloxacin from the group of fluoroquinolones, if the cause of conjunctivitis is not gonococcal and chlamydial infection. This drug is used three times a day for 7-10 days. Also, the most popular drug is Trimethoprim / polymyxin B, which must be used 4 times a day.As a rule, if this drug does not help, it indicates that the patient has a conjunctivitis of a viral or allergic nature, or there is a resistance of bacteria to this drug.In this case, a bacterial culture is performed and sensitivity to antibiotics is investigated.

Conjunctivitis caused by chlamydia is usually treated with tetracycline antibiotics. Also, chlamydia react to macrolides and fluoroquinolones. Chlamydia conjunctivitis can never be treated independently.It can be cured only by properly selected medications, as chlamydia very often develop immunity to many antibiotics.The ophthalmologist appoints treatment strictly individually for each patient.

Without fail, the patient must comply with the hygienic requirements for the care of the mucous membrane of the eyes.

With the help of cotton balls regularly rubs the eyelids.To disinfect the conjunctival sac and remove purulent discharge, a jet wash with an antiseptic solution is performed. Typically, for washing use furatsilin or boric acid. As a tool for washing the eyes use a candy or a pear.

Only after a thorough washing of the eyelids and the conjunctival sac is the instillation of antibacterial eye drops.Eyes are instilled, as a rule, every 2-3 hours using a pipette. Antibacterial ointment is usually laid at night. The introduction of ophthalmic ointment is carried out with the help of a special eye-stick.

It is not recommended for bacterial conjunctivitis to impose a bandage on a diseased eye, since this makes it difficult to treat the inflammatory process and can contribute to infection of the cornea.

The full course of treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis occurs within 10-12 days. During this period all the symptoms of the disease must disappear completely.It is desirable after this period to again carry out bacteriological monitoring of the contents of the conjunctival sac.

Complications

As a rule, timely antibiotic therapy allows you to completely get rid of bacterial conjunctivitis. In the absence of proper treatment, there is a risk of complications. Among them we can distinguish:

• Bacterial keratitis.It is an infectious disease of the cornea of ​​the eye.
• The opacity of the cornea.
• Decreased visual acuity.
• Ulcerative keratitis.It is characterized by an inflammatory process in the cornea. Otherwise, this disease is called a corneal ulcer. Without treatment, it leads to blindness.
• Orbital cellulite.This is a serious, life-threatening disease that is characterized by inflammation of the eye tissue behind the orbital septum.

In addition, you need to know that in the absence of treatment, the acute form of bacterial conjunctivitis can go into a chronic form.

Prevention

Avoid the occurrence of the disease is possible with the prevention of conjunctivitis:

• It is necessary to strictly adhere to hygienic norms.The eye area should never be touched with dirty hands, as this is the direct route of infection and the onset of an inflammatory process.
• Those who use contact lenses should observe the rules of wearing lenses and hygiene.Before putting on and removing the lens, you should thoroughly wash your hands, and also regularly change the containers for storing the lenses.
• Do not injure or damage the eyes.
• It is necessary to use only personal hygiene products and bedding.
• It is necessary to strengthen its immunity, especially in winter.To do this, it is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle, eat right, temper, take vitamin-mineral complexes.

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conclusions

Bacterial conjunctivitis can be cured only with properly selected antibiotic therapy. It is not recommended to treat bacterial conjunctivitis alone, especially if the disease is observed in children and the causative agent is gonococcal or chlamydial infection. In the absence of treatment, bacterial conjunctivitis takes on a chronic form and is accompanied by complications.