Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) is a contagious and rapidly progressive viral infection reported from poor regions with unhygienic living conditions [1] [2]. It is caused mainly by enterovirus 70, although coxsackievirus A24 variant, adenoviruses [3] [4] [5] and Epstein-Barr virus [6] [7] have also been reported to cause it. Enteroviruses spread easily via the feco-oral route, contaminated hands/ personal items [8] [9] and vertically between mother and child.

AHC has an incubation period ranging from 12 hours to 2 days and the self-limiting disease can last for up to two week [9] [10]. Patients present with an acute onset of ocular pain, redness of the eye, photophobia, ocular irritation with excessive lacrimation, and chemosis [8] [10]. The clinical manifestations depend on the stage of the infection. In the initial stage, the patient has paranasal sinus mucosal inflammation [11] [12] followed by the appearance of petechia on the conjunctiva. Subsequently, these may form subconjunctival hemorrhages and are accompanied by follicular conjunctivitis, eyelid edema, and induration. In the early part of the AHC infection, the inflammatory response is monocellular and watery and changes to a blood stained response with the progression of the infection [12]. The corneal signs include epithelial keratitis and subepithelial opacities. Occasionally, enterovirus infection has been reported to cause acute lower limb flaccid paralysis, cranial nerve palsies and radiculomyelitis [13] along with conjunctivitis. Infectious mononucleosis has also been associated with AHC [6] [7]. AHC symptoms usually resolve in 2 weeks and sequelae are rare.

Enteroviral infection in infants can present as low-grade fever of unspecified etiology and can involve other organs like the myocardium, lungs, central nervous system and the skin.

• Burkina Faso

  Seasonal and Temporal Trends in Childhood Conjunctivitis in Burkina Faso. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Vol. 99, Issue. 1, p. 229. [cambridge.org]

• Excessive Tearing

  Abstract Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) is an epidemic form of highly contagious conjunctivitis and is characterized by sudden onset of painful, swollen, red eyes, with conjunctival hemorrhaging and excessive tearing. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

  When infected with AHC, patients will experience painful, red eyes, swelling of the conjunctival tissue, and frequent mucus discharge from the eyes accompanied by excessive tearing and subconjunctival hemorrhaging. [en.wikipedia.org]

  The most common reported symptom was excessive tearing of the eye or epiphora (92.9%) followed by conjunctival hyperemia (65.8%), photophobia (54.1%), subconjunctival hemorrhage (48.1%), eye pain (47.5%), and palpebral chemosis (36.4%). [scholarworks.gsu.edu]

  Most infected persons will complain of painful red eyes and frequent mucus discharge from the eyes accompanied by excessive tearing. Some also experience blurry vision and fever in addition to the common symptoms. [ghanaweb.com]

  Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) is an epidemic form of highly contagious conjunctivitis and is characterized by sudden onset of painful, swollen, red eyes, with conjunctival hemorrhaging and excessive tearing. [outbreakwatch.blogspot.com]

• Conjunctival Injection

  Signs include lid edema, periauricular lymphadenopathy, conjunctival injection, follicular reaction, and typically subconjunctival hemorrhages. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

  Bulbar conjunctival hyperemia was trace and chemosis had fully resolved ( figure 4 ). Follicles appeared to be smaller, and the palpberal conjunctival injection was minimal ( figure 5 ). John returned for the final day 14 follow-up. [reviewofcontactlenses.com]

  Conjunctival injection, redness and serous or purulent discharge. Preauricular adenopathy is common. Constitutional sx include fever, malaise, nausea and vomiting. [hopkinsguides.com]

  Patients demonstrate marked conjunctival injection, conjunctival chemosis (excessive edema), lid swelling and tender preauricular adenopathy. [aafp.org]

• Blepharitis

  Blepharokeratoconjunctivitis is the combination of conjunctivitis with blepharitis and keratitis. [en.wikipedia.org]

  Mild itching can also be a feature of blepharitis, dry eyes and, occasionally, bacterial or viral conjunctivitis. [aafp.org]

  Other signs, such as dermatitis of the lid skin, inflammation of the lid margin (blepharitis), conjunctival scarring, and involvement of the cornea occur only in certain of the most severe disorders. [eyewiki.aao.org]

  For example, smallpox vaccinations, though currently uncommon due to the disease's eradication, result in ocular vaccinia in about one per 40,000 vaccinations. 14 Aside from occurring in those with compromised immune systems, blepharitis, conjunctivitis [reviewofophthalmology.com]

  Viral culture Viral PCR Adenovirus conjunctivitis diagnosed by rapid, 10-min office test (AdenpPlus) DDx for non-conjunctivitis causes include subconjunctival hemorrhage, blepharitis, eyelid disorders, scleritis, episcleritis, keratitis, pterygium, acute [hopkinsguides.com]

• Conjunctival Disease

  Cefpodoxime or cefixime not primarily recommended but may be alternative oral treatment instead of ceftriaxone for uncomplicated GC infection, but no clinical data supporting effectiveness for conjunctival disease. [hopkinsguides.com]

• Conjunctival Petechiae

  As the name “acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis” suggests, conjunctival petechiae are often found. [reviewofcontactlenses.com]

• Suggestibility

  These data suggest that enterovirus 70 was the etiologic agent of the acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis outbreak in Puerto Rico. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

• Flaccid Paralysis

  Occasionally, enterovirus infection has been reported to cause acute lower limb flaccid paralysis, cranial nerve palsies and radiculomyelitis along with conjunctivitis. Infectious mononucleosis has also been associated with AHC. [symptoma.com]

  West Nile virus-associated flaccid paralysis outcome. Emerg Infect Dis 2006;12:514-6. [Figure 1] [annalsofian.org]

  The neurologic manifestations vary from a transient, mild cranial nerve palsy to painful lumbosacral radiculomyelitis with temporary or permanent flaccid paralysis. [drplace.com]

The clinical course of AHC is very rapid and resolves spontaneously, often without treatment. Hence the workup and laboratory tests have to be performed fast. Clinical suspicion, history and, a detailed ophthalmic examination remain the mainstay of diagnosis.

Studies for rapid viral detection are necessary to identify the causative organism and they are still being improved. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays are supplanting standardized neutralizing antisera assays. Specimens from conjunctival swabs are used to identify the etiology of AHC [14] [15] [16]. Molecular serotyping with clinical samples has been found to be useful for rapid diagnosis, especially, during epidemics [14]. A real-time (RT) PCR has also provided an early diagnosis in epidemics [17]. In the case of bacterial superinfection of the cornea, microbiological culture and antibiotic sensitivity testing are performed [18].

However, corneal microbial superinfection has been reported after treatment with topical steroids and requires appropriate antimicrobial therapy. (See Treatment.) A secondary corneal ulcer is shown below. [emedicine.medscape.com]

You can help by adding to it. ( September 2017 ) Treatment [ edit ] There is no treatment currently available. The virus generally resolves itself within a five to seven day period. [en.wikipedia.org]

Treatment of cultures with combinations of arildone and IFN resulted in an additive inhibition of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis virus production. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

AHC almost always resolves without sequelae, having a good visual prognosis. However, corneal microbial superinfection has been reported after treatment with topical steroids and requires appropriate antimicrobial therapy. (See Treatment.) [emedicine.medscape.com]

Treatment is symptomatic having satisfactory prognosis. Causes Of Acute Hemorrhagic Conjunctivitis Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis is an infectious disease affecting eyes. It is caused by coxsackie virus A 24 and enterovirus 70. [tandurust.com]

[…] habitats The local healthcare providers and local public health authorities have to ensure that the residents of a region are generally well-informed and made aware of basic preventive measures and precautions to be taken during an AHC outbreak What is the Prognosis [dovemed.com]

This report describes that AHC epidemic and its etiologic agent. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Enteroviral infection in infants can present as low-grade fever of unspecified etiology and can involve other organs like the myocardium, lungs, central nervous system and the skin. [symptoma.com]

(See Etiology, History, and Physical Examination.) AHC was first described in 1969. [emedicine.medscape.com]

A total of 1 067 981 conjunctivitis cases were reported to the surveillance system for 2011; there was an increase in the number of cases in epidemiologic weeks 6-26 (summer season) versus previous years. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

(See Epidemiology.) See the following for more information: [emedicine.medscape.com]

Terminology Also known as Apollo disease Epidemiology First described in Ghana in 1969 Most common in developing countries, may affect > 50% of local population Pathophysiology Epidemic form is rapidly progressive and highly contagious Clinical features [pathologyoutlines.com]

The American Academy of Ophthalmology's Pathology Atlas contains virtual microscopy images of tissue samples with the following types of conjunctivitis: Chronic Follicular Conjunctivitis Granulomatous Conjunctivitis Papillary Conjunctivitis Pathophysiology [eyewiki.aao.org]

Author information 1 WHO WPRO Regional Reference Poliomyelitis Laboratory and State Key Laboratory for Molecular Virology & Genetic Engineering, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

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