Epidemiology and molecular diagnosis of acute conjunctivitis in patients attending Hamadan, west Iran ophthalmology clinics 2016–2017

Abstract

Background

Viruses are considered the most common cause of infectious conjunctivitis. PCR has been approved as the best standard method to diagnose viral conjunctivitis. This study was conducted to investigate epidemiological patterns of conjunctivitis in Hamadan, west Iran. In addition, the frequency of the most important cause of infectious conjunctivitis diagnosed by PCR and its seasonal variations and association with certain socioeconomic and health factors were studied.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, 125 patients with suspected viral conjunctivitis or keratoconjunctivitis in Hamadan, west Iran from July 2016 to June 2017 were examined for the presence of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1), HSV2, varicella-zoster virus (VZV), adenovirus. and Chlamydia trachomatis using multiplex real-time PCR.

Results

Adenoviruses were the most prevalent pathogens (94.4%). HSV1 was found in two (1.6%) patients. HSV2, VZV, and C. trachomatis were not seen in any patients. There was no difference in acquisition of conjunctivitis between men and women. A total of 55 (44%) patients attended the clinics in summer.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that adenoviruses were a much more common viral cause of conjunctivitis in the studied region compared to findings in other regions. In addition, the acquisition rate of eye infection is expected to decrease dramatically in this region through control of adenoviruses. Demographic variables ie, age, sex, and income level, were not significantly associated with acquisition of viral infection.

Keywords:

• epidemiology
• conjunctivitis
• virus
• polymerase chain reaction

Acknowledgment

This study was derived from a research project approved by the research and technology deputy of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences (project 9405132558). Hereby, we gratefully thank this deputy and Dr Kavyani, Dr Malekifar, Dr Janahmad, Dr Lotfi, Dr Basirinia, Kobra Heidarzadi, Javad Shekarchi, Masoomeh Jalilian, Atefeh Morshedi, Mansour Amraei, and all people who helped us conduct it.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.