{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,4]],"date-time":"2025-09-04T13:11:17Z","timestamp":1756991477080,"version":"3.44.0"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"7","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["DTB"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2011,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Eye conditions account for 2\u20135% of all consultations in general practice.1 One-third of these eye problems (equivalent to around 13\u201314 cases per 1,000 population per year) are cases of infective conjunctivitis, normally a self-limiting condition.2,3 Traditionally, topical antibacterials have been prescribed for people with acute infective conjunctivitis.4 In 2005, chloramphenicol eye drops became available over the counter (OTC) from UK pharmacies as a treatment for conjunctivitis, and there is evidence that the overall use of chloramphenicol for this indication has increased since then.5 Here we review the evidence on the efficacy of antibacterials in acute infective conjunctivitis. We also offer practical information and advice for prescribers and community pharmacists on managing patients with the condition.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/dtb.2011.02.0043","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2011,7,6]],"date-time":"2011-07-06T23:16:53Z","timestamp":1309994213000},"page":"78-81","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Management of acute infective conjunctivitis"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"49","member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2011,7,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.1","unstructured":"Clinical Knowledge Summaries. Conjunctivitis \u2013 infective [online]. Available: http:\/\/www.cks.nhs.uk\/conjunctivitis_infective [Accessed 23 June 2011]."},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2165\/00003495-199652040-00006"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sheikh A Hurwitz B . Antibiotics versus placebo for acute bacterial conjunctivitis. Cochrane Database Sys Rev 2006; Issue 2. Art. No.: CD001211. DOI: 10.1002\/14651858.CD001211.pub2. [Last assessed as up-to-date: October 2007].","DOI":"10.1002\/14651858.CD001211.pub2"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/fampra\/19.6.658"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3399\/bjgp09X473132"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.6","unstructured":"McCormick A . Morbidity Statistics from General Practice. Fourth National Study 1991\u20131992. London: HMSO, 1995."},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"353","DOI":"10.3928\/0090-4481-19930601-06","article-title":"Acute conjunctivitis of childhood","volume":"22","author":"Gigliotti","year":"1993","journal-title":"Pediatr Ann"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.8","first-page":"2S","article-title":"A review of bacterial keratitis and bacterial conjunctivitis","volume":"112","author":"Limberg","year":"1991","journal-title":"Am J Ophthalmol"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bjo.66.6.357"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.327.7418.789"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.38128.631319.AE"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"623","DOI":"10.1016\/S0022-3476(84)80566-1","article-title":"Efficacy of topical antibiotic therapy in acute conjunctivitis in children","volume":"104","author":"Gigliotti","year":"1984","journal-title":"J Pediatr"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1517\/14656566.8.12.1903"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bjo.72.10.733"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.15","first-page":"62","article-title":"The red eye: a general practice survey","volume":"37","author":"Wilson","year":"1987","journal-title":"J R Coll Gen Pract"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.38891.551088.7C"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.17","unstructured":"Royal Pharmaceutical Society, 2005. Practical guidance: OTC chloramphenicol eye drops. June [online]. Available: http:\/\/www.rpharms.com\/archive-documents\/otcchlorampheneyedropsguid.pdf [Accessed 23 June 2011]."},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.18","unstructured":"Information Centre, 2010. Prescription cost analysis data, England [online]. Available: http:\/\/www.ic.nhs.uk\/statistics-and-data-collections\/primary-care\/prescriptions\/prescription-cost-analysis-england--2010 [Accessed 23 June 2011]."},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bjo.75.11.675"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1755-3768.1987.tb08489.x","article-title":"Fusidic acid in acute conjunctivitis. Single-blind, randomized comparison of fusidic acid and chloramphenicol viscous eye drops","volume":"65","author":"Hvidberg","year":"1987","journal-title":"Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh)"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.21","first-page":"924","article-title":"The treatment of acute infectious conjunctivitis with fusidic acid: a randomised controlled trial","volume":"55","author":"Rietveld","year":"2005","journal-title":"Br J Gen Pract"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2165\/00003495-200161020-00003"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"667","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.316.7132.667","article-title":"Risk of serious haematological toxicity with use of chloramphenicol eye drops in a British general practice database","volume":"316","author":"Lancaster","year":"1998","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1217","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.310.6989.1217","article-title":"Use of chloramphenicol as topical eye medication: time to cry halt","volume":"310","author":"Doona","year":"1995","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2125.1998.00773.x"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.26","first-page":"36","article-title":"A qualitative study of patients' perceptions of acute infective conjunctivitis","volume":"53","author":"Everitt","year":"2003","journal-title":"Br J Gen Pract"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/fampra\/cmi101"},{"key":"2025082700133045000_49.7.78.28","unstructured":"Health Protection Agency, 2010. Guidance on infection control in schools and other childcare settings. April [online]. Available: http:\/\/www.hpa.org.uk\/web\/HPAwebFile\/HPAweb_C\/1194947358374 [Accessed 23 June 2011]."}],"container-title":["Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/dtb.2011.02.0043","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,27]],"date-time":"2025-08-27T07:13:40Z","timestamp":1756278820000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dtb.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/dtb.2011.02.0043"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2011,7]]},"references-count":28,"journal-issue":{"issue":"7","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2011,7,13]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2011,7]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/dtb.2011.02.0043"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/dtb.2011.02.0043","relation":{},"ISSN":["0012-6543","1755-5248"],"issn-type":[{"type":"print","value":"0012-6543"},{"type":"electronic","value":"1755-5248"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2011,7]]}}}