[Pathogenesis of infectious conjunctivitis in Nepal].

PURPOSE: We investigated human adenovirus (HAdV) and Chlamydia trachomatis in patients with infectious conjunctivitis in Nepal.

METHOD: We obtained swabs from 6 patients with infectious conjunctivitis in a remote area near the Indian border (group A), and from 30 patients at the B. P. Koirala Eye Center of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu (group B). Rapid diagnosis of HAdV was conducted in Nepal, using Capilia adeno eye (Capilia), a rapid adenoviral antigen diagnostic kit using immunochromatography. Residual swabs were brought to Japan and examined for HAdV and Chlamydia trachomatis using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Etiological analysis of 214 patients with trachoma was also investigated by PCR.

RESULTS

Capilia results were negative for the six samples of group A and positive for 13 patients (43%) in group B. PCR showed one (17%) as positive in group A and 30 (100%)in group B. The serotype of all HAdV positive samples was HAdV-8. C serovar of Chlamydia trachomatis was detected in ninety seven cases out of 214 patients with trachoma.

CONCLUSION

HAdV-8 and Chlamydia trachomatis serotype C seem to be prevalent in Nepal.