Frequency of adenoviral conjunctivitis by cell culture and PCR method in two referral university hospitals in Tehran

Background : Ocular adenoviral infections occur throughout the world in both sporadic and epidemic forms. In the present study we determined the frequency of adenoviral conjunctivitis in two referral university hospitals in Tehran by cell culture and PCR method. Materials and methods : Specimens were scraped from the lower palpebral conjunctiva of 115 patients with conjunctivitis who had referred to Labafinejad and Imam Hossein hospitals during a 6-month period and transferred to two different media, one for cell culture and the other for PCR. Then specimens of cell culture were inoculated to Hep-2 cells and sub cultured in micro plates. Cultures were evaluated for CPE. Viral DNA was extracted from specimens and PCR technique was applied by special primers. Results : Of 115 samples, 18(15.7%) were adenovirus positive during PCR analysis, of which 14 revealed to be cell culture positive as well. Most of the sufferers from adenoviral conjunctivitis were female (61%) and aged 41-50 years (50%). In patients with adenoviral conjunctivitis, conjunctival hyperemia, pain and eyelids edema were the most common findings. Conclusion : Results have demonstrated that adenoviruses are common causative agents for viral conjunctivitis. PCR revealed to be more sensitive and accurate than cell culture for detecting adenoviral conjunctivitis. Keywords : Adenovirus, Conjunctivitis, Polymerase chain reaction