Porto Alegre Conjunctivitis: Symptoms & Prevention

Here’s a summary⁢ of the key facts from the provided text about the⁢ recent increase in conjunctivitis cases:

* Increase in ⁣Cases: ‍ Banco⁣ de Olhos São Pietro Hospital reported around 1,300 cases of conjunctivitis in October, a 20% increase compared to⁤ previous months.Experts believe ‍this could be ⁤an outbreak.
* Types ‍of conjunctivitis: Conjunctivitis can be ⁤viral, bacterial, or allergic. Viral conjunctivitis is highly contagious.
* Transmission: Spread through contact with eye secretions (tears) or contaminated surfaces/objects (towels, pillows, ⁤cell phones). Viruses ⁢can survive⁣ on surfaces‍ for ⁤a long time.
* ‍ Recent⁣ Trends: Cases dropped during the pandemic due to ⁢increased hygiene, then returned to normal.The current increase is higher than expected.
* ⁤ Possible Causes:

* Seasonal Increase: Conjunctivitis⁤ is common this⁣ time of year, especially allergic types.
* Respiratory Diseases: The increase may be linked to the rise in other respiratory illnesses (colds, flu) as they are often caused by the same viruses (like adenovirus adn enterovirus).
⁤ * Viral Mutations/Unknown Factors: Mutations⁢ or other unknown factors could be contributing to greater virus circulation.
* Diagnosis: Conjunctivitis is diagnosed clinically based on symptoms;⁣ lab confirmation isn’t usually needed.
* Symptoms:

* Red eye
⁣ * Foreign body sensation