[Molecular detection of adenovirus type-8 epidemic keratoconjunctivitis in Hungary]

Both infectious and non-infectious forms of acute conjunctivitis are known. Viruses, especially different types of adenoviruses are the etiological agents of infectious epidemic conjunctivitis (conjunctivitis epidemica).

The author's aims were to describe an outbreak of keratoconjunctivitis and to detect the viral agent by molecular methods in Hungary.

Classical epidemiological methods were used for investigation. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by sequencing were used for the detection of adenoviral hexon region from freshly collected conjunctival swabs.

Between 9 October and 18 December 2006, a total of 60 patients became ill with keratoconjunctivitis in 7 settlements in Southwest Hungary. Mean age was 51,2 years. Conjunctivitis (100%), lacrimation (94%), foreign body sensation (83%), and dim vision (76%) were the main clinical symptoms. Both eyes were affected in half of the cases. Direct contact was the main transmission route including nosocomial spread associated with ophthalmology practices. Five (62.5%) of 8 conjunctival swabs were PCR-positive for adenovirus type 8 (HAdV8/Baranya/2006/HUN; EF210714) which was genetically identical to adenovirus strain detected in Austria in 2004 (DQ149614).

The outbreak of keratoconjunctivitis was partially associated with nosocomial infection caused by type 8 adenovirus. Both the recognition of the clinical illness, laboratory diagnosis and public health measures are necessary for the prevention of keratoconjunctivitis infection and epidemic.