Adenovirus types 19 and 37 isolated from viral conjunctivitis in the Kaohsiung area during 1983-1984: molecular epidemiological study by DNA endonuclease cleavage analysis.

Abstract

Thirty two isolates of adenovirus type 19 and six of type 37 were recovered from the conjunctiva of 629 cases with viral conjunctivitis in the Kaohsiung area from March 1983to February 1984. Seventeen isolates of Ad 19 and five of Ad 37 were randomly chosen for DNA emzymatic cleavage analysis by eight different kinds of endonucleases: Pst I, Hind III, BamH I, Sal I, Sma I, Sst I, EcoR I, and Kpn I. The results were as follows: 1.Two subtypes of Ad 19 were found; 16 isolates were different from the Ad 19 prototype, but identical to the subtype Ad 19A. The other was a new subtype, that was designated as Ad 19B. 2.Five isolates of Ad 37 were divided into two groups; 4 isolates were identical to the Ad 37 prototype. The other was a new subtype, designated as Ad 37B. This differed from the subtype Ad 37A previously found in Japan and Taiwan. 3.It appeared that Ad 19A and Ad 37 prototype were predominant during the period of 1983-1984, in Kaohsiung.