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What Is The Incubation Period For Pink Eye?
Question: what is the incubation period for pink eye. I have a daycare and one brother has pinkeye one does not, am concerned when the brother comes to daycare will he infect the children who are here , some are babies. The brother without symptoms may come down with it while in daycare thus putting all children at risk.
Brief Answer:
Pink eye remains infective for 3-5 days.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to Health Care Magic
Iam Dr. DADAPEER K, an Ophthalmologist and I answer health problems related to eye.
It seems from the history that your brother is having pink eye with running nose and cough. This indicates that he is having viral conjunctivitis with upper respiratory tract infection.
This is contagious and spreads with close contact through droplets. The conjunctival secretions and droplets from nasal and cough secretions are infective.
The incubation period varies depending on the type of the virus. The incubation period is usually in the range of 1-3 days and the infection remains contagious for 3-5 days. During the first 3-5 days close contact with others should be prevented and the infected person should use separate hand kerchief, towel , bed sheet.... to prevent the spread of the infection.
Most of the viral conjunctivitis are self limiting and last for 5-7 days and some times in chronic infections can last for up to 1-2 weeks, but they usually are infective during the first 3-5 days only.
The treatment for pink eye or viral conjunctivitis is by use of antibiotic eye drops to prevent secondary bacterial infection. Since he is 5 years old, I would prefer to use broad spectrum antibiotic eye drops like Moxifloxacin 6 to 8 times per day along with the anti cold medicines.
Hope the information is helpful to you.
Thank you
Pink eye remains infective for 3-5 days.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to Health Care Magic
Iam Dr. DADAPEER K, an Ophthalmologist and I answer health problems related to eye.
It seems from the history that your brother is having pink eye with running nose and cough. This indicates that he is having viral conjunctivitis with upper respiratory tract infection.
This is contagious and spreads with close contact through droplets. The conjunctival secretions and droplets from nasal and cough secretions are infective.
The incubation period varies depending on the type of the virus. The incubation period is usually in the range of 1-3 days and the infection remains contagious for 3-5 days. During the first 3-5 days close contact with others should be prevented and the infected person should use separate hand kerchief, towel , bed sheet.... to prevent the spread of the infection.
Most of the viral conjunctivitis are self limiting and last for 5-7 days and some times in chronic infections can last for up to 1-2 weeks, but they usually are infective during the first 3-5 days only.
The treatment for pink eye or viral conjunctivitis is by use of antibiotic eye drops to prevent secondary bacterial infection. Since he is 5 years old, I would prefer to use broad spectrum antibiotic eye drops like Moxifloxacin 6 to 8 times per day along with the anti cold medicines.
Hope the information is helpful to you.
Thank you
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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