Serotype Analysis of Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis in Bangladesh

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: Adenovirus (AdV) is one of the major causative virus inducing acute viral conjunctivitis such as epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) in Bangladesh. In this study we attempted to clarify the serotype of adenovirus in the patients with EKC in Bangladesh. Methods: Sixty-six conjunctival swabs were collected from the 66 patients with acute conjunctivitis in Chittagong, Bangladesh during March to September, 2002. Adenocheck (Immunochromathography method), a rapid diagnose kit, was performed to detect AdV in all of 66 samples. We also performed the PCR and PCR-RFLP test to detect AdV and to determine the serotype of AdV. Results: In the Adenocheck eleven out of 66 samples revealed positive for AdV, whereas the rest of them showed negative. By PCR and PCR-RFLP methods sixteen samples showed PCR positive for AdV, and the rest of them were negative for AdV. In 66 samples 11 were positive for both of them, five were positive only for PCR and the rest of them were negative for both of them. The serotype analysis showed AdV-8 in nine samples, AdV-3 in two, AdV-4 in three, AdV-37 in one and unclassified subgenus B of AdV in one. In AdV-8 genome type five were AdV-8E, three were AdV-8p, and one was unclassified genome type of AdV-8. Conclusions: AdV-8 seems to be a dominant serotype in EKC in Bangladesh. These results differed from those of Japan where AdV37 was a dominant serotype. Therefore, it seems likely that a dominant serotype of AdV inducing EKC is different among Asian countries.

Keywords: adenovirus • conjunctivitis • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: bio