Different Clinical Presentations of the Same Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis Outbreak in Premature Babies and Their Parents.

PURPOSE This study aims to report the differences in the findings of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) between premature babies and their families at an outbreak of viral conjunctivitis. METHODS In this prospective observational study, premature babies (25 patients) who were diagnosed with EKC and the family members (30 patients, mother, father, or grandmother/father) who had EKC after contacting them were monitored closely. Patients were divided into two groups as preterm babies (group 1) and adults (group 2). RESULTS The present study investigated particularly subepithelial corneal infiltrates (SEI) occurrence after EKC, which was searched for at each visit in the 2nd week, 1st month, and 3rd month after EKC. Distribution of SEI in two groups was statistically significant at each visit (<0.0001). There was more SEI in group 2. CONCLUSIONS None of the preterm cases were found to have SEI after EKC.