Infectious Conjunctivitis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

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1. Background of the case study (Total: 5 marks)
1.1 What is infectious conjunctivitis?
Infectious conjunctivitis is the condition of conjunctiva infection which is
frequently caused because of bacterial or viral contamination. Watery discharge,
tearing and redness in eye are the typical symptoms of infectious conjunctivitis.
Infectious conjunctivitis is classified under two distinct category namely chronic
conjunctivitis and acute conjunctivitis. The onset of any type of conjunctivitis
depends on the complete span of infection such as chronic conjunctivitis arises
when the conjunctiva inflammation lasts for approximately 3 weeks or more and
acute conductivities arises when the conjunctiva inflammation do not exceed 3
weeks (Conjunctivitis, 2015).
1.2 Of the four micro-organisms listed below, justify which one is more likely to be
the cause of John’s eye infection. Indicate why the other micro-organisms from the
list are least likely to cause the infection.
Legionella pneumophila
Yes or no, with reason:
L. pneumophila is not accountable for causing the eye (Infectious conjunctivitis)
infection in the patient (John). L. pneumophila belongs to the bacterial group
which results in the illness of severe pneumonia and exhibit the symptoms such as
fever, muscle pain, headache, malaise and chills (Edelstein & Christian, 2015).
Plasmodium ovale
Yes or no, with reason:
Plasmodium oval is not accountable for causing the eye (Infectious conjunctivitis)

infection in the patient (John). Plasmodium ovale is included under the parasitic
protozoa group which is responsible for casing the illness of malaria among the
humans and exhibit the symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea, headache, chills,
fever and abdominal pain (Paxton, 2017).
Adenovirus
Yes or no, with reason:
Adenovirus is responsible for leading to the eye (Infectious conjunctivitis)
infection in the patient (John). Adenovirus belongs to the viral group which is
responsible for causing the condition of viral conjunctivitis. In the given scenario,
the patient, John was not exhibiting the symptoms of viral conjunctivitis instead he
was exhibiting the symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis. He was experiencing
sticky discharge from his eyes which was highly prevalent under bacterial
conjunctivitis (Arnold & MacMahon, 2017).
`Staphylococcus aureus
Yes or no, with reason:
Staphylococcus aureus is accountable for causing the eye (Infectious
conjunctivitis) infection in the patient (John). Staphylococcus aureus belongs to
the bacterial group and lead to acute bacterial conjunctivitis. In the given scenario,
the patient, John was exhibiting the symptoms of sticky discharge, inflammation of
eye and redness of eye, which exhibits the condition of acute bacterial
conjunctivitis (Boustcha & Nicolle, 1995).
2. Mechanism of action and adverse reactions (Total: 5 marks)