Red Eye Outbreaks Rock India! Chlamydia Trachomatis 1968 to Adenovirus Conjunctivitis 2023 Transition

Should Global Health Stake holders and promisers of Universal Health Coverage by 2030 be concerned of Viral Conjunctivitis? Just like proverb in India “why should a trader of ginger do keep track of ships coming to the port?
A survey of conjunctivitis researchers inferred that Conjunctivitis outbreaks are common worldwide, afflicting people across age and socio-economic strata and aetiologies are often undetermined. A lack of systematic conjunctivitis surveillance and diagnostic microbial confirmation in clinical practice and in public health efforts contributes to the paucity of information globally.
Even in best of the developed countries like USA Conjunctivitis affects about 1% of all primary care office visits affecting about 6 million people annually and in United Kingdom there was an increase in conjunctivitis consultations, particularly in children aged 5 to 14 years in the week 5 of 2023.. Only about 30% of primary care patients with infectious conjunctivitis are confirmed to have bacterial conjunctivitis, although 80% are treated with antibiotics. The bacterial aetiology often depends on geography and age, but the most common include Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, Haemophilus, Pseudomonas, and Moraxella species
Incessant rains and flood situation in many parts of the country have led to poor hygiene. The high humidity is also a favourable factor for the spread of the disease. The main reason behind the outbreaks in the last decade is linked to a viral infection that has been spreading rapidly across various regions in the world. People with weak immune systems like diabetes, People who do not wash their hands before inserting or removing contact lenses are more at risk. Viral Conjunctivitis often follows a recent cold or sore throat. Some patients early in the Covid 19 pandemic with the original COVID strain developed infection of conjunctivitis or pink eye. Recently, this has been noticed in a small number of patients with COVID, even those without other symptoms. Conjunctivitis associated with COVID-19 tends to occur in the later stages of the disease.
The outbreaks in India since early June 2023 prompted to this review of the global and national status of viral conjunctivitis, track the history of ‘red / Pink eyes’ from 1968 when the author entered Indian health system and status, to urge for a systematic conjunctivitis surveillance and diagnostic microbial confirmation in clinical practice and in public health efforts.

Material and Methods: Media coverage in India about the conjunctivitis outbreaks since June 2023, Review of global and national Literature and real time data in public domain.

Keywords: Ophthalmia Neonatorum, Trachoma, Granular Conjunctivitis, Blinding Trachoma Bacterial Conjunctivitis, Viral Conjunctivitis and Allergic Conjunctivitis, Trachoma Control Program.