An epidemic of picornavirus and adenovirus conjunctivitis

A pandemic of acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis occurred in south-east Asia during 1970 and 1971, and became epidemic in Lucknow in May 1971. From the conjunctival swabs adenovirus-like agents were isolated in monkey kidney tissue culture; one was typed as adenovirus 2. In paired sera rising antibody titres were found against an adeno-like agent isolated and the picornavirus (EC2/71) isolated in Singapore. The epidemics in south-east Asia were caused by a picornavirus while in Lucknow both adenovirus and picornavirus appeared to be implicated.