Background
An outbreak of acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis
occurred from February to May 2012 in Mayotte, a
French island in the South-West Indian Ocean, where
it accounted for 15% to 45% of consultations in primary
care structures [1,2]. Over 1,000 cases had
been reported, based on clinical criteria by the end
of March 2012 [1,2]. The outbreak had now spread to
the Union of the Comoros*, but the current number of
cases is unknown. The disease, called Matso-matso by
the local population (Matso meaning ’the eyes’ in the
local language) is recognised there to be highly contagious,
and the intensity of the outbreak is illustrated
by the number of people wearing black sun glasses on
the streets [3]. Acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis outbreaks
have also been described in local newspapers
in Madagascar [4] and Mauritius [5]. The aetiology of
this outbreak was not known by 25 May 2012.