Conjunctival scrapings showing large numbers of lymphocytes indicate which type of infection?

• A. Bacterial Infection
• B. Fungal Infection
• C. Viral Infection
• D. Allergic Reaction

Answer: (C)

Lymphocytes dominate when the conjunctiva is fighting a viral infection. Viruses tend to provoke a cell-mediated immune response, so the tissue shows a lymphocyte-rich inflammatory pattern on scrapings. Bacterial infections, in contrast, typically produce a neutrophil-predominant response with more pus. Allergic reactions are driven by eosinophils and mast cells rather than lymphocytes. Fungal infections can show neutrophils and sometimes recognizable fungal elements. So seeing many lymphocytes points toward a viral conjunctivitis, such as adenovirus, rather than bacterial, fungal, or allergic processes.