Kyiv residents complain of sickness and red eyes: what happened?
24 May 2024 18:51
ЕКСКЛЮЗИВ
Over the past few weeks, many Kyiv residents have been complaining of a deterioration in their health, accompanied by redness and swelling of the eyes, which are not related to seasonal allergies, reports
“I woke up in the middle of the night with a sharp pain in my eye. In the morning, my eye became completely red and purulent discharge appeared. I wrote to a colleague, and she told me that her son had similar symptoms a week ago. Then other friends told me that her son went to kindergarten and that many children in the group were getting sick with similar symptoms. I treated him at home for several days on my own, and then I had to go to the doctor because the inflammation did not disappear. A lot of people like me came to the hospital,”
– she said 
Other symptoms include a sore throat, weakness and fever.
Immunologist, director of the Palladin Institute of Biochemistry Serhiy Komisarenko in a comment to Kommersant Ukrainian
“If a person is infected with a virus – an adenovirus that lives on the membranes of the eyes – then, of course, there will be inflammation. Infection with adenovirus conjunctivitis usually occurs by airborne droplets. But sometimes, as it happens, the eyes start to itch – people rub their eyes with their hands, and their hands are contaminated and so it is transmitted,” he explained,
– he explained.
The diagnosis of adenovirus conjunctivitis is based on a characteristic clinical picture, as well as smear and culture by exclusion.
“An experienced doctor can immediately tell from the clinical picture. If it’s a massive infection rather than isolated cases, it’s a widespread infection, so I advise you to seek medical attention. The infection can be accompanied by a runny nose, headache, and weakness. But it all depends on what kind of virus it is and where it is located. But as a rule, it affects only the eyes. However, our eyes are directly connected to the brain, so there is a certain danger here. By the way, the coronavirus disease often entered the brain through the nose or through the eyes,”
– the immunologist noted.
The family doctor commented to Kommersant Ukrainian
The first symptoms are runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat, weakness, chills, abdominal pain, and fever. Then the mucous membrane of the eyes becomes inflamed, and conjunctivitis develops, but it is milder than in adults.
Infection with adenovirus conjunctivitis occurs by airborne droplets during coughing and sneezing, and less often by direct contact with the mucous membrane of the eyes.
The doctor reminded that the diagnosis of adenovirus conjunctivitis is based on a characteristic clinical picture, as well as smear and culture by exclusion.
