Abstract
Purpose:
Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) is a highly contagious eye infection caused by two picornaviruses; coxsackievirus type A24 variant (CA24v) and enterovirus type 70. The present study investigates the AHC virus-specific immunoglobulins in tears and serum from CA24v AHC virus infected cases.
Methods:
Bilateral tear samples, acute and convalescent blood samples were collected post onset of CA24v AHC. The presence of virus-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) G, A, M, and D in diluted tear and sera were detected using indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) analysis of poliovirus type 2 (PV-2) and CA24v infected retinal pigmented epithelial cells.
Results:
IgG, IgM, IgA and IgD were detected in acute tear and serum samples that reacted with CA24v antigen within the cytoplasm of the infected cell. Notably, IgD and IgA in acute tear reacted with CA24v specific antigens that were localized to and concentrated in the cytoplasm of the infected cell. IFA analysis of sera detected IgG, IgM, and IgA specific immunoreactivity with diffuse cytoplasmic antigens in CA24v and PV-2 infected cells.
Conclusions:
The results suggest that AHC virus infection of the conjunctival epithelium induced acute local increases in enterovirus antigen-specific immunoglobulins, most notably IgA and IgD.
Keywords: 475 conjunctivitis •
656 protective mechanisms •
486 cornea: tears/tear film/dry eye