A primary school outbreak of pharyngoconjunctival fever caused by adenovirus type 3

High rates of absenteeism in a North Queensland primary school, due to eye irritation, fever, headache, and stomach pain, were reported to the Tropical Public Health Unit in October 2000. Subsequent investigation demonstrated that the symptoms were due to adenovirus infection. Symptoms were consistent with a diagnosis of pharyngoconjunctival fever. At the height of the outbreak, about 40 per cent of students were absent. There was a strong association between the development of symptoms, and having been swimming on a recent school camp. Adenovirus could not be isolated from swimming pool water from the resort where the camp had been held. However, when inspected the swimming pool was not adequately chlorinated or maintained. It is probable that adenovirus infection was transmitted via swimming pool water at the school camp, and the outbreak might have been avoided by higher standards of swimming pool maintenance.