[Etiology of 1988 epidemic of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis in Beijing].

An epidemic of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) occurred in Beijing during August-September in 1988. Conjunctival swabs were collected from 50 AHC patients at the Eye Clinic of the Peking Union Medical College Hospital. 25 strains of viruses were isolated with Hela cell cultures. All the viral isolates were identified as Coxsackievirus A 24 variant (CA 24 v) with antiserum from the Center for Disease Control, U. S. A. Paired serum samples from 30 AHC patients were examined for neutralizing against a representative strain of the viral isolates. 24 of them (80%) showed a fourfold or greater rise in neutralizing antibody titers. The results indicate that CA 24 v was the etiologic agent responsible for the 1988 epidemic of AHC. This is the first time an epidemic of AHC caused by CA 24 v is reported in the mainland of China.