A 5-year-old boy is brought in by his mother with complaints of redness in both eyes and a thick yellowish discharge that has caused his eyelids to stick together after waking up in the morning. What is the likely cause?
The symptoms described, particularly the presence of a thick yellowish discharge in a child, are suggestive of bacterial conjunctivitis. The most common pathogens in this age group are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. The child should be treated with antibiotic eye drops and kept out of school until he has received 24 hours of treatment to prevent spreading the infection.