[Bacterial infection in the conjunctiva of patients with adenoviral conjunctivitis]

We evaluate the microbiological features of mixed infection in adenovirus-infected conjunctiva.

Isolation of bacteria was performed in 82 samples of adenoviral conjunctivitis at six eye clinics in Japan.

For microbiological diagnosis, we performed immunochromatography (IC) and polymerase chain reaction--restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis for detection and serotyping of adenovirus, and PCR for detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Chlamydia trachomatis antigens out of 82 samples with adenoviral conjunctivitis.

Pathogenic bacteria were isolated in 6 samples out of 82. Out of these 6 cases, 5 samples were gram-negative rods and most of them were Flavobacterium meningosepticum (4 samples). Adenovirus type 8 was isolated from all these mixed infection cases. However, HSV-1 and Chlamydia trachomatis were not found.

From these results, it is suggested that gram-negative rods, especially F. meningosepticum, are the most common bacteria causing mixed bacterial infection in adenoviral conjunctivitis.