[The study of prevalence of neutralization antibody against human adenovirus in ophthalmological medical workers].
OBJECTIVE
We studied the prevalence of neutralization antibodies against human adenovirus (hADV) in ophthalmological medical workers as one measure for the prevention of nosocomial infection.


METHODS
The prevalence of neutralization antibodies against hADV-3, -4, -7, -8, -11, -19, and -37, which can cause conjunctivitis, was measured in 288 workers at ten ophthamological facilities in Japan. We studied the prevalence in different facilities, different generations, different types of workers (doctors, nurses, and others), and their medical history of hADV conjunctivitis.


RESULTS
Among the workers, the prevalence of neutralization antibodies against hADV-3, -4, -7, -8, -11, -19, and -37 was 70.1%, 43.8%, 18.8%, 16.3%, 16.3%, 8.7%, and 6.3%, respectively. The prevalence of neutralization antibodies against hADV-8 was two times higher in doctors than in other workers. People who have a history of hADV conjunctivitis have a high prevalence of neutralization antibodies against hADV-8, -19, and-37.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of neutralization antibodies against hADV-8, -19, and-37 was low in the ophthalmological medical workers. These seroepidemiological data indicate the high possibility of an epidemic of conjunctivitis and occurrence of nosocomial infection caused by these serotypes.
Ohguchi
Takeshi
T
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan. tohguchi@med.hokudai.ac.jp
Kaneko
Hisatoshi
H
Tagawa
Yoshitsugu
Y
Aoki
Koki
K
Ohno
Shigeaki
S
Shiota
Hiroshi
H
D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D003428:Cross Infection; D006281:Health Occupations; D006801:Humans; D009726:Nurses; D009885:Ophthalmology; D015995:Prevalence
D000914:Antibodies, Viral