Journal article
Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis: Report of an Outbreak in an Ophthalmology Practice and Recommendations for Prevention
Infection control : IC, v 5(8), pp 390-394
Aug 1984
PMID: 6090333
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
In Fall 1981, an outbreak of acute infectious conjunctivitis with keratitis (EKC) occurred in patients who had visited a private ophthalmology clinic just prior to onset of illness. Among an estimated 2,200 patient visits to the office from August 10 to October 15, 1981 for problems unrelated to infectious conjunctivitis, 39 (1.8%) persons subsequently developed EKC. The median incubation period was 6.5 days (range, 1 to 14 days). A case-control study was done to identify risk factors associated with contracting EKC; patients with EKC were more likely than control patients to have been examined by one or the other of two of the four ophthalmologists at the clinic and to have undergone procedures such as tonometry or foreign body removal. Adenovirus was isolated from conjunctival swabs from four of five persons with conjunctivitis; three were type 8 and one was type 7. Recognition of the problem and improved handwashing practices were associated with terminating the outbreak. This outbreak illustrates the potential for transmission of adenovirus infection during the provision of eye care. Infection control practitioners should be familiar with measures for the prevention of such infections among ophthalmology patients.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis: Report of an Outbreak in an Ophthalmology Practice and Recommendations for Prevention
- Creators
- James W. Buehler - Centers for Disease Control and PreventionRobert J. Finton - Centers for Disease Control and PreventionRichard A. Goodman - Fulton County Medical Examiner's OfficeKeewhan Choi - Fulton County Medical Examiner's OfficeJohn C. Hierholzer - Fulton County Medical Examiner's OfficeR. Keith Sikes - Georgia Department of Natural ResourcesWilliam R. Elsea - Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office
- Publication Details
- Infection control : IC, v 5(8), pp 390-394
- Publisher
- SLACK Incorporated
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Health Management and Policy
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:A1984TE99200005
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-0021173084
- Other Identifier
- 991021895678004721
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InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Infectious Diseases
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health