New virus strain causing conjunctivitis

A possible new strain of the virus causing sore eyes or conjunctivitis, which has affected many Mumbaikars, has become a matter of concern among health specialists.

A few reported complications like `corneal involvement', and the clinical diagnosis indicating it to be due to `adinovirus' has made experts fear that it could be a new strain of the conjunctivitis virus.

"We are planning to carry out a detailed virological study," said S Natrajan, chairman and medical director, Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital. Normally, the infection gets cured within one week with antibiotics but a few cases of `corneal involvement', in which cornea gets spots (superficial punctuate keraticis), require longer treatment, he said.

Doctors from municipal and private hospitals said most of the patients take self-medication as the treatment is effective using a few well-known antibiotics. "We get five to seven patients in a day," they said.

"The best thing is precaution as the disease spreads through touch. Therefore, do not touch your own eyes," Natrajan said. Mumbai had an outbreak of conjunctivitis in 1981 when, in some cases, patients suffered paralytic attack. The virus strain was identified by Haffkine Institute as enterovirus-70.

Haffkine Institute Director Ranjana Deshmukh said she had not received any referral cases so far for viral investigation this year. "If we get samples we will definitely do the investigation."

Deshmukh said most of the patients get cured with a variety of antibiotics available in the market which clears any superficial infection but in some cases the redness of the eye remain for sometime.

"The patient should wear goggles to prevent getting glare of the light and also give importance to personal hygiene," she advised.