PANDEMIC OF NEW TYPE OF CONJUNCTIVITIS

Abstract

A new type of conjunctivitis was prevailing in a pandemic fashion all over South-East Asia and Japan in 1970 and 1971. The disease is characterised by severe subconjunctival hæmorrhage, but its clinical course is usually benign and complete recovery comes within a fortnight. A cytopathic agent has been isolated by primary human embryonic kidney cell culture of conjunctival scrapings or swabs taken from patients with acute hæmorrhagic conjunctivitis (A.H.C.) in three different outbreaks in Japan. One of the earliest isolates which was chosen for detailed study showed general characteristics of enterovirus, but it was not neutralised by intersecting pools of antisera against known enteroviruses, and it was not pathogenic to suckling mice. It is suggested that the agent is an enterovirus of a new serotype. 10 pairs of acute and convalescent sera were tested, and there were definite neutralising antibody rises against this agent in all of them. No specific bacteria were found from cultures of conjunctival swabs. It is concluded that A.H.C. in Japan is caused by a hitherto unknown type of enterovirus and that outbreaks in other countries may be due to a similar agent.