title: Clinical and aetiological study of adenoviral conjunctivitis, with special reference to adenovirus types 4 and 19 infections.
abstract: The clinical and aetiological findings are presented on 343 patients with clinical adenoviral conjunctivitis treated between July 1979 and July 1980 at 3 eye clinics in Sapporo. The age of the patients ranged from 12 days to 79 years, and the monthly incidence of the disease from 9 to 83, with clustering in the summer season. The aetiological diagnosis was established in 196 (57%) of 343 patients: adenovirus 3 in 24 cases; adenovirus 4 in 33 cases, including one case serologically diagnosed; adenovirus 8 in 124 cases; and adenovirus 19 in 15 cases. The different serotypes caused different clinical pictures. Adenovirus 19 conjunctivitis was more severe, with keratitis and preauricular lymphadenopathy more frequent than that of adenovirus 3 conjunctivitis. Adenovirus 4 conjunctivitis was generally similar to adenovirus 3 conjunctivitis. The clinical difference between the 2 groups adenoviruses 3 and 4, and adenoviruses 8 and 9, was statistically significant. Although in Japan adenovirus 8 was the most prevalent, adenoviruses 4 and 19 should be considered as causative agents of adenoviral conjunctivitis.
mesh_terms: D000257:Adenoviridae Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D000258:Adenovirus Infections, Human / Q000382:microbiology; D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007634:Keratitis / Q000209:etiology; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged