title: Adenovirus type 8 keratoconjunctivitis--an outbreak and its treatment with topical human fibroblast interferon.
abstract: An outbreak of keratoconjunctivitis is described which involved at least 186 people; adenovirus type 8 was identified in 50 of the cases. Topical human fibroblast interferon was assessed in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in which 34 patients participated. Seventeen of the 34 trial patients yielded adenovirus type 8; three were infected with adenovirus type 7. The outbreak was curtailed by control of infection measures: principally careful hand-washing by medical personnel between cases and by discouraging attendance of new cases at the Eye Infirmary. Consequently the trial numbers are small. In addition there was a wide interpatient variation in the severity of infection. Therefore it was not possible to make any statistically valid conclusions concerning the recovery rate of patients receiving interferon or placebo.
mesh_terms: D000257:Adenoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007637:Keratoconjunctivitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I