Differences between Viral and Bacterial Conjunctivitis (Essay Sample)

Differences between Viral and Bacterial Conjunctivitis Name Institution Course Instructor Date Differences between Viral and Bacterial Conjunctivitis Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the conjunctiva associated with distended blood vessels, pain, and discharge. The treatment cost for bacterial conjunctivitis in the USA is estimated at $857 M annually (Azari & Arabi, 2020). Virus conjunctivitis is the leading general cause of conjunctivitis in major cases, while bacterial conjunctivitis is infrequently experienced. Based on the clinical findings by Azari and Arabi (2020), there may be bacterial infection if the involvement of the first eye is followed by the second eye within 24–48 hours. However, if the involvement of the other eye happens after 48 hours and swollen periauricular lymph nodes accompany it, it may be, in contrast, a viral conjunctivitis. The papillary conjunctival reaction and pseudomembranous conjunctivitis suggest bacterial causation, while the follicular conjunctival reaction is more indicative of a viral etiology (Yeu & Hauswirth, 2020). The most prevalent causes of bacterial conjunctivitis are Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. It is defined as a yellow or greenish thick discharge from the eyes, which usually causes the eyelids to stick together, mainly after sleep. Besides the symptoms above, a gritty feeling in the eye, redness, and irritation can also be present. On the contrary, the main viruses behind viral conjunctivitis are adenoviruses, but the virus can also be of other types like those of the common cold. Symptoms of viral conjunctivitis are watery discharge, redness, and irritation, similar to the sensation of sand in the eye. Unlike bacterial conjunctivitis, the discharge is watery, clear, and not sticky or purulent. However, Azari and Arabi (2020) found that people with mild to moderate red eye or pus-like discharge were unlikely to get better from topical antibiotics, reiterating the deficient relevant relationship between symptoms and the causes in several conjunctivitis cases. In c...