Bacterial Conjunctivitis in Children: Containing the Infection

Bacterial conjunctivitis is a contagious disease that may spread easily and quickly. Young children are especially at risk because close contact among objects and other children is difficult to avoid. Although the disease is self-limited, eradication can take up to 10 days. Treating children expeditiously may prevent the infection from spreading and may reduce absenteeism from school and work.

Infectious Diseases in Children assembled a panel of experts in Irving, Texas, on June 4, 2005, with the support of an unrestricted grant from Alcon, Inc., to discuss differential diagnosis of pink eye, bacterial conjunctivitis in children, recent outbreaks of bacterial conjunctivitis and treatment options for pediatric patients.

I would like to thank the faculty members for their participation in this Infectious Diseases in Children symposium and monograph project.

Philip A. Brunell, MD
Chief Medical Editor
Infectious Diseases in Children

MODERATOR

Philip A. Brunell, MD,
is Chief Medical Editor,
Infectious Diseases in Children; Professor Emeritus, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine.

CO-MODERATOR

Rudolph S. Wagner, MD,
is director of pediatric ophthalmology at the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science and clinical associate professor of ophthalmology at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey at New Jersey Medical School in Newark.

G. Scott Cuming, MD,
is in private pediatric practice in San Antonio, Texas.

Mark S. Dorfman, MD,
is chief of surgery and chief of pediatric ophthalmology at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, Fla.

Donald K. Murphey, MD,
specializes in infectious disease at Cook Children's Health System in Fort Worth, Texas.