Adeno-viral kerato conjunctivitis.

In summer, 1976 an epidemic of Kerato Conjunctivitis commenced in Melbourne, Australia. A total of 422 patients was studied in the adeno-viral clinic at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, from 1976 to 1979. Most patients were referred from the Casualty Department of the hospital, but others came from private practice. A total of 72 cases were adeno-viral with positive cultures. Types 8 and 19 predominated, but sporadic cases of types 1, 3, 4 and 7 were also isolated. Herpes Simplex type 1 was positive in 13 patients. The hospital staff were involved in spread of adeno-virus type 8. Six patients contracted Kerato-Conjunctivitis following removal of corneal foreign bodies from the casualty ward, and several patients contracted epidemic Kerato-Conjunctivitis after beta-irradiation post-pterygium surgery. These latter two methods of infection have not been reported before. Treatment and prevention is discussed.