The prevalence of adenoviral conjunctivitis at the Wills Eye Hospital Emergency Room.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of adenoviral conjunctivitis by analyzing data from a prospective clinical study of 50 consecutive patients presenting to the Wills Eye Hospital Emergency Room (WEH ER) with a clinical diagnosis of infectious conjunctivitis from July 2003 to October 2003.

METHODS

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to evaluate all cases of clinically diagnosed infectious conjunctivitis. Based on the laboratory findings, the prevalence of adenovirus was determined.

RESULTS

Of the 50 consecutive patients with acute infectious conjunctivitis, 31 patients were PCR positive for adenovirus.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of adenoviral conjunctivitis was found by PCR to represent 62% of all patients presenting with a clinical diagnosis of infectious conjunctivitis from July 2003 to October 2003.