Question:medium
Severe (hyperacute) conjunctivitis is caused by:
Severe (hyperacute) conjunctivitis is caused by:
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Copious purulent hyperacute discharge points to a gram-negative diplococcus.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
- Neisseria
- Staphylococcus
- Streptococcus
- Haemophilus
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The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Match the clinical intensity to the organism: ordinary acute conjunctivitis versus the aggressive hyperacute type with profuse pus.
Step 2: The garden-variety acute cases come from $Staphylococcus$ $aureus$, $Streptococcus$ $pneumoniae$ and $Haemophilus$ $influenzae$, which give moderate discharge.
Step 3: A severe, rapidly progressive, copiously discharging conjunctivitis points to $Neisseria$ $gonorrhoeae$ (or meningitidis), an organism that can invade the cornea and cause ulcerative keratitis and even perforation.
Step 4: Therefore the cause of severe conjunctivitis among the options is Neisseria.
\[\boxed{\text{Neisseria}}\]
Step 2: The garden-variety acute cases come from $Staphylococcus$ $aureus$, $Streptococcus$ $pneumoniae$ and $Haemophilus$ $influenzae$, which give moderate discharge.
Step 3: A severe, rapidly progressive, copiously discharging conjunctivitis points to $Neisseria$ $gonorrhoeae$ (or meningitidis), an organism that can invade the cornea and cause ulcerative keratitis and even perforation.
Step 4: Therefore the cause of severe conjunctivitis among the options is Neisseria.
\[\boxed{\text{Neisseria}}\]
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