EPIDEMIC KERATOCONJUNCTIVITIS CAUSED BY ADENOVIRUS TYPE 8: EPIDEMIOLOGIC AND LABORATORY ASPECTS OF A LARGE OUTBREAK

Abstract
D'Angelo, L. J. (Bureau of Epidemiology, CDC, Atlanta, GA 30333), J. C. Hierholzer, R. C. Holman, and J. D. Smith. Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis caused by adenovlrus type 8: epldemlologic and laboratory aspects of a large outbreak. Am J Epidemiol 1981; 113: 44–9. During late 1977 and early 1978, 192 cases of epidemic keratoconjunctlvttls occurred In a community in central Georgia. In 86 of these cases, the patient had been exposed to a single ophthalmologist's office (physician A) 3–22 days before onset of illness. Patients considered as cases were more likely to have had invasive ophthalmologic procedures than non-cases (p < 0.001), and a linear relationship existed between the number of procedures performed and the attack rate (r = 0.91, p < 0.05). Adenovirus type 8 (AV8) was Identified as the responsible pathogen by culture and/or antibody determination for 20 of these patients. Group-specific AV hexon antigen and type-specific dodecon antigen were Identified in four of seven ophthalmic solutions obtained from physician A's office. The outbreak stopped after proper control techniques were Initiated.

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