Epidemiological and virological features of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis due to new human adenovirus type 54 in Japan.
OBJECTIVE
New human adenovirus (HAdV)-54 causes epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) and is virologically close to and has occasionally been detected as HAdV-8. Taking HAdV-54 into account, we re-determined HAdV type in EKC samples to determine its epidemiology in Japan, and examined the virological features of HAdV-54.


METHODS
HAdV type was re-determined in 776 conjunctival swabs from Japan and 174 from six other countries, obtained between 2000 and 2009. Using 115 HAdV strains obtained before 1999, trends regarding HAdV-8 and HAdV-54 were also determined. In addition, immunochromatography (IC) kit features, DNA copy numbers and viral isolation of HAdV-54 in samples were evaluated.


RESULTS
Recently, HAdV-37 and HAdV-54 have been the major causative types of EKC in Japan. HAdV-54 has been isolated each year since 1995, whereas HAdV-8 has become less common since 1997, although it remains the most common cause of EKC in the six other countries investigated where HAdV-54 is yet to be detected. HAdV-54 is comparable to other EKC-related HAdV types in terms of IC kit sensitivity and DNA copy numbers, although HAdV-54 grows more slowly on viral isolation.


CONCLUSIONS
EKC due to HAdV-54 can result in epidemics; therefore, it should be accurately diagnosed and monitored as an emerging infection worldwide.
Department of Microbiology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan. h-kane@chive.ocn.ne.jp
Hisatoshi
H
Kaneko
Tatsuo
T
Suzutani
Koki
K
Aoki
Nobuyoshi
N
Kitaichi
Susumu
S
Ishida
Hiroaki
H
Ishiko
Tsutomu
T
Ohashi
Shigeki
S
Okamoto
Hisashi
H
Nakagawa
Rikutaro
R
Hinokuma
Yoshimori
Y
Asato
Shinobu
S
Oniki
Teiko
T
Hashimoto
Tomohiro
T
Iida
Shigeaki
S
Ohno
D000258:Adenovirus Infections, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D058872:Epidemics; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007637:Keratoconjunctivitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D011159:Population Surveillance
D004279:DNA, Viral