Is conjunctivitis contagious?

introduction

The conjunctiva of the eye is a transparent layer of mucous membrane that has, among other things, an important defense function. Conjunctivitis, known as conjunctivitis, is contagious or non-contagious, depending on the cause. One speaks of an infectious and a non-infectious conjunctivitis.
Conjunctivitis caused by an allergy or an autoimmune disease or external influences is not contagious. External influences can be, for example, cigarette smoke, chlorine or dust. However, if the conjunctiva becomes inflamed from bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites, it is contagious. Depending on age, the state of the body's own defense system and other factors, the risk of infection with conjunctivitis varies.

The doctor can often deduce the underlying cause of the conjunctivitis from the anamnesis, a doctor-patient conversation. In the case of non-infectious conjunctivitis, the eye does not usually secrete any secretion. Instead, in the contagious form, you can observe secretion, which can look different depending on the trigger. In addition, characteristic concomitant symptoms indicate the type of inflammation. A sensation of a foreign body, itching, and burning of the eyes indicate that the conjunctivitis is unlikely to be contagious. In contrast, swollen lymph nodes on the neck are a sign of infectious conjunctivitis.
In general, however, it is not possible for the person concerned to differentiate between contagious and non-contagious conjunctivitis based on the symptoms. To avoid infection, it is important to wash your hands after each contact with the eyes or face and to disinfect them thoroughly afterwards. A visit to the ophthalmologist is advisable, as he can best assess the cause of the infection and the associated risk of infection and counteract it with the right therapeutic measures (therapy for conjunctivitis).

Is conjunctivitis very contagious?

Conjunctivitis caused by external stimuli such as dust or dirt, allergies, fatigue, injuries, preservatives in eye drops, UV light, drafts, cigarette smoke, foreign bodies in the eye (including contact lenses), rheumatic diseases or dryness of the eye are not contagious.
If conjunctivitis is caused by bacteria, fungi, parasites or viruses, it is highly contagious. If one eye is initially affected, there is a good chance that the other eye will also be infected. The triggers usually get into the eye through smear infection or droplet infection. Most contagious bacterial conjunctivitis is caused by staphylococci, especially the so-called staphylococcus aureus. Haemophilus influenzae causes conjunctivitis, especially in children. Chlamydia is transmitted through sexual intercourse. They can also get into the eye through bath water. This is called swimming pool conjunctivitis, but it occurs less often. In addition, the infected mother can transmit the clamydia to the child during childbirth. In the same way, gonococci can cause conjunctivitis in infants. But these are less common in comparison to chlamydia.
Adenoviruses can trigger viral conjunctivitis. They often cause febrile infections that are accompanied by extremely contagious conjunctivitis. Also from herpes viruses (see also: Ocular herpes) The conjunctivitis caused is very contagious and the surrounding skin areas can also be affected. Viral conjunctivitis caused by chickenpox, rubella, and measles is also very contagious.
Conjunctivitis caused by fungi only occurs in immunocompromised people. With a healthy immune system, the risk of infection by fungi is low. Parasites, such as some worms or fly larvae, can also cause infectious conjunctivitis. However, this occurs less often in European countries, but is problematic in tropical, African areas and Central and South America.

How can you prevent infection?

As a person affected, you can reduce the risk of contagion to others or, at best, prevent it by generally keeping a little distance from other people. Compliance with basic hygiene measures also helps reduce the risk of infection. These include washing your hands thoroughly with soap if the eye has been touched. The towel should only be used once and by no other person. The same applies to washcloths, pillows, eye drops, pipettes or other objects that come into contact with the eye. For example, for children this can be kaleidoscopes or other toys, as well as cameras, binoculars or cosmetics for adults. The one-time use of a handkerchief, which is disposed of immediately, also minimizes further contamination. The contact between hands and eyes should be as small as possible. In the event of uncertainty, the risk of infection can also be minimized by finding out more, for example on the website of the Robert Koch Institute.

Hygiene measures for contagious conjunctivitis

The following hygiene measures should be observed if you suffer from contagious conjunctivitis:

• Avoid eye rubbing
• Hand disinfection
• Use your own towel, ideally disposable handkerchiefs
• no shaking hands

How long is conjunctivitis contagious?

How long a conjunctivitis is contagious depends on the pathogen and the individual immune system of the person affected. Subjectively, the person concerned can only roughly assess this. The doctor can detect the pathogen by taking a swab in the eye secretion. As long as it can be found there, the conjunctivitis is contagious. This also means that the risk of infection begins before the symptoms occur, during the so-called incubation period.

Read more on the topic: Pus in the eye

The risk of infection from bacterial conjunctivitis usually lasts between 1-2 weeks without the use of antibiotics. In some cases, for example if the immune system is weakened or if the pathogen spreads, the risk of infection can increase. After the start of antibiotic administration in the case of bacterial infections, there is usually no longer any risk of infection after about 2 days. Depending on the doctor's recommendations, children can go back to kindergarten or school after this time.
Since viruses do not have their own metabolism, as is the case with bacteria, it is more difficult to combat viruses with drugs. There are fewer points of attack to contain the viruses and thus their risk of infection. According to this, the duration of infection with viral conjunctivitis is often longer compared to bacterial infections. Conjunctivitis caused by adenoviruses has an incubation time of 5-12 days and can be contagious for up to 2 weeks after the symptoms begin. Particular attention must be paid to compliance with hygiene measures.

Administration of antibiotics for contagious conjunctivitis

Only conjunctivitis caused by bacteria or viruses is contagious. If there is another cause, such as an allergy, or external circumstances such as dust, smoke, drafts or foreign bodies, the conjunctivitis is not contagious.

Antibiotics only work against bacteria, so they are only used if the conjunctivitis is caused by bacteria. As a rule, it is sufficient to apply antibiotic eye drops or eye ointments locally.
These can contain different groups of antibiotics, for example Aminoglycosides or Gyrase inhibitors. This will kill the bacteria in the eye and the conjunctivitis should heal.

If resistant bacteria are found, it may be necessary to use a different antibiotic. In the case of pregnant women, care should be taken to ensure that an antibiotic is used that is only absorbed by the body to a small extent, i.e., if possible, is not transmitted to the unborn child. Here is suitable Gentamycin preferably.

Read more on the subject below: eye drops containing antibiotics or eye drops for conjunctivitis

Can an antibiotic prevent infection?

An antibiotic generally only influences the risk of infection and the duration of bacterial conjunctivitis. Infectious conjunctivitis caused by viruses, fungi, or parasites will not be affected by an antibiotic. That means it cannot influence the risk of infection. Instead, certain prophylactic antibiotics can be given to reduce the risk of infection and the onset of bacterial conjunctivitis.
This antibiotic prophylaxis is only useful under certain circumstances, for example to protect newborns and people with a very weak immune system. The aim here is to avoid or minimize complications. General, prophylactic administration of antibiotics is strictly rejected. The risk of so-called resistance development and multiplication of the bacteria is too great. If there is an exceptional situation, macrolide antibiotics, for example in the form of an erythromycin ointment, can be used in the event of an infection with chlamydia. This serves to prevent so-called inclusion bodies, which are the form of the bacterium that reproduces.
An antibiotic cannot prevent infection if there is bacterial conjunctivitis. It can then only reduce the risk of infection a little. If an antibiotic is taken, there is still a risk of infection for the first 2-3 days. This is based on the fact that the pathogen must first be killed. Even if the person's complaints have decreased, this is no guarantee that the pathogen has been completely eliminated.

Conjunctivitis in pregnancy

Conjunctivitis in pregnancy can be infectious or non-infectious. Accordingly, there is or is not a risk of infection, just as it is with non-pregnant women. The duration of conjunctivitis can have a comparatively longer healing process during pregnancy. Since medication should be avoided as much as possible during pregnancy, bacterial conjunctivitis, for example, should only be treated with an antibiotic under certain circumstances. As a result, the duration of infection may increase. In some pregnant women, the immune system can be weakened, which can increase the risk of infection. Caution should be exercised if the mother has conjunctivitis shortly before birth caused by chlamydia or gonococci. In this case, there is a risk that the child will be infected. Otherwise, both non-infectious and infectious conjunctivitis during pregnancy are usually harmless for the unborn child.

Read more on the subject at: Infections in pregnancy

Risk of infection for pregnant women

Like everyone else, pregnant women can develop conjunctivitis. As a rule, this cannot be transferred to the unborn child. An exception is a bacterial conjunctivitis caused by chlamydia or gonococci. Both bacteria cause sexually transmitted diseases and often go undetected by the expectant mother.
Only if an infection occurs in the last few days before delivery can the bacteria be transmitted to the baby in the birth canal during birth. Chlamydia and gonococci cause conjunctivitis in babies. A viral infection of the mother with herpes viruses, which lead to genital herpes in women, can also be transmitted to the child during birth and cause conjunctivitis. (please refer: Conjunctivitis in babies)

If conjunctivitis occurs in an expectant mother, this can either be caused by bacteria or viruses and in this case is contagious, or it can be triggered by an allergy or dust, smoke or foreign bodies in the eye. However, there is no risk of infection for the unborn child.

If conjunctivitis is due to allergies or external stimuli, it is not contagious and usually heals on its own after two to three days. The eye should be spared and if it is very dry, so-called artificial tears, the eye drops Euphrasia, can provide relief from the symptoms. Euphrasia are homeopathic, i.e. purely herbal eye drops that do not pose any risks to the expectant mother or the unborn child. If the symptoms do not improve after about 3 to 5 days, a doctor should be consulted, who will decide on further treatment of the conjunctivitis.

Viral conjunctivitis can only be treated symptomatically. Here, too, it is important to wait and see, especially for pregnant women. Euphrasia eye drops can also be used. In most cases, bacterial infections that lead to conjunctivitis require an antibiotic to cure it quickly.

For pregnant women we recommend eye pots or eye ointments containing the antibiotic Gentamycin as this is only absorbed by the body to a small extent and is almost not transmitted to the unborn child.

Symptoms of conjunctivitis

Will the Conjunctiva of the eye irritable, one can Inflammation of the conjunctiva arise, a so-called Conjunctivitis. It soaks the eye, is red and hurts or itches. The reason for the redness of the eye lies in the increased blood flow the conjunctiva, so that the actual whites of the eyes appear red.

Straight small children often suffer from conjunctivitis, which can have various causes:

• Bacterial infection
• Viral infection
• allergy
• Foreign matter in the eye.

Bacterial conjunctivitis

Neonatal conjunctivitis

During the Birth process is a transfer of Gonococci or chlamydia possible from mother to child. When the tight Passage through the birth canal these bacteria are practically in the eyes of the newborn and so often after a few days a severe conjunctivitis.

Staphylococci, pneumococci, streptococci

These bacteria are at older children and adults most common cause of bacterial inflammation of the conjunctiva.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

These bacteria are often found in opened containers for eye drops, cosmetics and contact lens solutionsthat can be used for a long time. Pseudomonas bacteria lead to a themselves rapidly developing conjunctivitis, which also refer to the Cornea of the eye and can cause severe complications and long-term damage.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia will mainly be transmitted during sexual intercourse and then can over the hands to the eye reach. The conjunctivitis caused by this is called Inclusion body conjunctivitis denotes and occurs mainly in poorer countries under poor hygiene in a Trachoma about that in the long term with a high probability of Blindness can lead. There is also a transmission of chlamydia in the pool possible, but this happens very rarely and is treatable with medication.

Symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis

In addition to the general symptoms conjunctivitis occurs in the bacterial infection strong mucus formation with yellowish-purulent accumulations in the corner of the eye. In the morning when you wake up are the eyes stuck and burn.
At a Chlamydial infection the conjunctiva it comes to typical protrusions (Papillae), which are called inclusion bodies and represent collections of defense cells in the conjunctiva.

Often with bacterial conjunctivitis both eyes equally affected.

Viral conjunctivitis

Adenoviruses

Adenoviruses are highly infectious. Through the Types 8 and 19 the adenoviruses can be called a Epidemic keratoconcunctivitis which is a very contagious conjunctivitis. The inflammation begins in one eye and spreads to the other eye just a few days later. The Lymph nodes in the face swell and by shaking hands and sharing towels The conjunctivitis is transmitted rapidly to the people affected. Even two weeks after the second eye is infected, epidemic keratoconcunctivitis is contagious and most thorough hygiene measures absolutely necessary.

Herpes simplex

Especially when children use the Herpes virus Contact may be associated with conjunctivitis small cold sores on the lip come.

Other viruses

Even the viruses of the flu, measles, rubella and chickenpox can cause irritation of the conjunctiva. The Enterovirus 70 and the Mollusca contagiosa Conjunctivitis (smallpox).

Symptoms of viral conjunctivitis

The main thing here is a feeling of foreign bodies, watery, slimy tear secretions and swollen eyes. The eyes itch a lot and so the virus is quickly distributed to both eyes by the hands, so that the conjunctivitis also occurs here on both sides.

Other symptoms are:

• red eye
• Photophobia / sensitivity to glare
• spasmodic lid closure.

Diagnosis

If one eye is red and watery, it must be Visited an ophthalmologist become. This examines what cause for the irritation of the eye and selects the appropriate therapy. Is the Conjunctivitis contagious, so it is important here to take measures against infection People around of the person concerned.

After a conversation (Anamnesis) by Allergies, Foreign matter in the eye, Injuries, Contact lens use and the like are queried, the eye is then examined. Through a so-called Slit lampwho works with focused light, the doctor can Changes in the conjunctiva judge accurately. It can also be seen whether the iris (Iris) or the ciliary body is present. The eyelids are on examination carefully folded downso too internal causes for inflammation can be determined. Using one Pathogen smear it can be determined whether the infection is through Bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites was caused.

Note

Even if the eye is itchy should one Rub eyes if possible be avoidedas this leads to further irritation Microcracks in the conjunctiva and thus one deeper penetration of possible pathogens can lead.

Course and prognosis

Is there a uncomplicated bacterial conjunctivitis before, after the pathogen has been identified, it will be displayed with antibiotic eye drops treated. This will make the symptoms go away after a few days. However, the treatment will then canceled prematurely, the infection (possibly even with resistance to the antibiotic) break out again. It is therefore absolutely necessary to carry out the therapy by the specified end of treatment.

When a viral conjunctivitis is present, it usually takes a long time and can weeks until completely healed last for. Against symptoms such as itching, pain, burning, tearing and / or dryness can be used here Home remedies be helpful.

Just at immunocompromised people conjunctivitis can be severe and is in Developing countries still the most common cause of blindness.