Genomic comparison of adenovirus type 3 isolates from patients with acute conjunctivitis in Japan, Australia, and the Philippines.

A total of 53 Ad3 isolates obtained from patients with acute conjunctivitis in Japan, Australia, and the Philippines during 1973 to 1986 were analyzed for their genome types with 4 restriction endonucleases, BamHI, BglII, HindIII, and SmaI. Two new genome types designated tentatively as Ad3f and Ad3g were identified by combination of BamHI and BglII in the isolates. The changes of restriction sites and sizes of restriction fragments in newly recognized Ad3f and Ad3g were located at the similar regions reported in other Ad3 genome types by O'Donnell et al (1986) on physical maps of the Ad3 prototype strain GB genome. In Japan, 46 Ad3 isolates obtained from 1983 to 1986 were either Ad3f or Ad3g. Yearly alternation of predominance of both genome types were observed in the northern part of Japan during the period. In Australia, two genome types Ad3p and Ad3f were found in 6 isolates, and the former was observed in the 3 isolates obtained before 1981 and the remaining 3 isolates were obtained after 1983. In the Philippines, the only isolate obtained in 1984 was Ad3p.