An immune dot-blot technique for the diagnosis of ocular adenovirus infection

The development of a monoclonal antibody based radio-immune dot-blot technique (IDBT) for the rapid detection of adenovirus is described. 718 conjunctival swabs from patients with acute keratoconjunctivitis were examined by conventional cell culture isolation techniques and IDBT. IDBT identified adenovirus in 64 of 75 culture positive samples and also in a further 34 culture negative samples [Sensitivity (IDBT versus culture) 85.3%; Specificity 92.2%]. IDBT is considered to be a simple, clinically relevant, technique for the rapid identification of adenovirus infection of the eye.