Missouri - Doctors warning about severe outbreak of pink eye

[Pathfinder]

Doctors warning about severe outbreak of pink eye

10:29 PM, Dec 1, 2011

By Courtney Gousman

Des Peres, MO (KSDK) - Area doctors are sending out a warning about an outbreak of a severe case of pink eye. Doctors in Des Peres say they're seeing between 10 and 15 cases of this strain of pink eye a week.

It's described as highly contagious, painful, and unlike normal cases of pink eye, can last for weeks.

One look at Ellen Black, and it's not hard to see why she's visiting the eye doctor. It was Thanksgiving when she woke up and realized something was wrong.

"I woke up one day with my eye swollen shut," said Black.

Black has been diagnosed with a severe strain of pink eye, one that can take weeks to heal. It's called Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis, or viral pink eye. It's also known as E.K.C. for short.

More...
http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/288923/3/Doctors-warning-about-severe-outbreak-of-pink-eye

 

[vt.mathgirl]

Re: Missouri - Doctors warning about severe outbreak of pink eye

Any avian H7 in the area?

 

[Emily]

Re: Missouri - Doctors warning about severe outbreak of pink eye

This is in St. Louis and radiating out from that along major freeways to the southwest and south from mapping the towns mentioned so far. (There could be cases elsewhere that I missed from doing a quick search of the news.)

The mention that people have symptoms of a cold prior to the outbreak. Maybe an adenovirus?

ETA:
This article claims that the outbreak might not be as widespread as reported.
http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/health/health-matters/news-reports-of-pink-eye-outbreak-are-overblown/article_edd8af1c-1d13-11e1-a20f-001a4bcf6878.html