Use of vidarabine in epidemic keratoconjunctivitis due to adenovirus types 3, 7, 8, and 19

Adenovirus types 3,7,8, and 19 were isolated during an outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis. There was no clinically recognizable difference in the severity of the disease produced by each adenovirus type. Twenty-nine patients with positive viral cultures were given either 3.3% vidarabine ointment or polyvinyl alcohol eyedrops within five days of the onset od disease, and were observed for at least 14 days. An observer unaware of which medication was prescribed found subepithelial corneal infiltrates in 81% of vidarabine-treated patients and in 63% of control subjects. Vidarabine was ineffective in preventing subepithelial corneal infiltrates in keratoconjunctivitis caused by adenovirus.