Different Clinical Presentations of the Same Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis Outbreak in Premature Babies and Their Parents

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study aims to report the differences in the findings of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) between premature babies and their families at an outbreak of viral conjunctivitis.

Methods: In this prospective observational study, premature babies (25 patients) who were diagnosed with EKC and the family members (30 patients, mother, father, or grandmother/father) who had EKC after contacting them were monitored closely. Patients were divided into two groups as preterm babies (group 1) and adults (group 2).

Results: The present study investigated particularly subepithelial corneal infiltrates (SEI) occurrence after EKC, which was searched for at each visit in the 2nd week, 1st month, and 3rd month after EKC. Distribution of SEI in two groups was statistically significant at each visit (<0.0001). There was more SEI in group 2.

Conclusions: None of the preterm cases were found to have SEI after EKC.

Keywords:

• Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis
• family members
• outbreak of viral conjunctivitis
• premature babies
• subepithelial corneal infiltrates

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank the members of our retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) diagnosis and treatment unit (ROP-DTU) for their contribution to this work.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.