Molecular, Epidemiological and Clinical Assessment of Adenoviral Keratoconjunctivitis in Egypt: Institutional Study

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To evaluate the frequency of Human adenovirus (HAdV) and its serotypes in keratoconjunctivitis patients who attended the outpatient clinics of Mansoura Ophthalmic Center, Egypt.

Methods

Conjunctival secretions and corneal scrapings were collected from patients complaining of clinically diagnosed viral keratoconjunctivitis. The molecular method for HAdV detection was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction enzymes (REA) determination of serotypes for hexone gene.

Results

HAdV infection was detected in 38% of samples. There were 4 serotypes of Human adenovirus species D (HAdV-D) isolated (4, 8, 37, 3), where HAdV-D8 was the most dominant. Contact with infected patient, follicular conjunctivitis and subepithelial corneal infiltrates are useful features for clinical diagnosis of adenoviral conjunctivitis.

Conclusion

HAdV was significant etiological factor of acute follicular conjunctivitis. Accurate diagnosis of adenoviral conjunctivitis is essential for appropriate management, reducing permanent visual impairment and to limit the transmission of the virus within the community.

KEYWORDS:

• Adenovirus
• prevalence
• serotypes
• viral conjunctivitis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors’ contributions

Maysaa El Sayed Zaki conceived the study; Maysaa El Sayed Zaki and Amani E. Badawi designed the study. Amani E. Badawi and Manal Ali Kasem performed the clinical examination and collected the ophthalmic data; Maysaa El Sayed Zaki and Dalia Moemen performed the laboratory examinations. Amani E. Badawi worked on the statistics; Amani E. Badawi and Maysaa El Sayed Zaki analyzed the data; Manal Ali Kasem and Amani E. Badawi supplied materials/analysis tools; Amani E. Badawi, Dalia Moemen and Manal Ali Kasem reviewed the literature; Amani E. Badawi and Dalia Moemen wrote the manuscript; Amani E. Badawi, Manal Ali Kasem, Dalia Moemen, and Maysaa El Sayed Zaki reviewed the paper. All authors scrutinized and approved the final manuscript version that was submitted for publication.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.