Mozambique: Bacterial conjunctivitis outbreak in Cabo Delgado province
Health authorities in the northern Mozambique province, Cabo Delgado, are reporting an outbreak of bacterial conjunctivitis.
During 16 days in mid-February, a total of 1,275 cases of bacterial conjunctivitis were reported. This includes five people who developed complications, causing corneal ulcers.
According to the official, 60% of the total cases were detected in children under five years of age.
"Children play with each other, and this proximity creates an environment conducive to contagion. Technical teams led by ophthalmology specialists were mobilized to go to the communities to carry out screening and treatment," officials explained.
Conjunctivitis or pink eye is an inflammation of the outer lining of the eye. Conjunctivitis is frequently caused by infectious agents, either viruses or bacteria. Conjunctivitis can also be caused by an allergy or by exposure to chemicals that irritate the eye.
Symptoms can vary but typically include the white of the eye taking on a pink or red color with swelling of the eyelid(s). Other symptoms of conjunctivitis may include some or all of the following: blurred vision, sensitivity to light, a scratchy or painful sensation in one or both eyes, heavy tearing in the eyes, discharge from the eye(s), crusting of eyelids or lashes and itchy eyelids.
For bacterial conjunctivitis, the symptoms usually begin 24 to 72 hours after exposure to the infection. The symptoms can persist for several days, or rarely, for 2 to 3 weeks.
In infectious conjunctivitis, the fluids from an infected person’s eyes are highly contagious. Therefore, it can be passed from person-to-person via contaminated fingers, clothes, towels, and through items such as eye makeup and sunglasses. Children younger than 5 are most often affected.
It is best to limit contact with infected persons until the symptoms go away. Children with conjunctivitis should be kept out of school to prevent the disease from spreading to other students. Infected persons can go back to school or work when the itching, pain, and tearing have stopped.