ABSTRACT
The clinical, epidemiological and virological findings of the 1980 epidemic of acute conjunctivitis were described. Enterovirus 70 was isolated from 7 (35%) of 20 eye swabs submitted for virus isolation, and the paired sera of eight patients showed a four-fold or greater rise in neutralising antibody titre to Enterovirus 70. The disease mainly affected children and young adults of all ethnic groups. Most of the cases contracted the infection at home. The mean secondary attack rate was 72.6% and the mean incubation period, four days. The clinical features were similar to the 1970 and 1975 epidemics caused by Coxsackievirus A24. Subconjunctival haemorrhage was observed in 10% of the cases. Most of the cases recovered spontaneously within a week. Transmission of infection within the home was either indirect, probably through fomites contaminated with eye or respiratory discharges of cases, or direct, through intimate person-to-person contact. During outbreaks, health education on simple personal hygiene should be highlighted.
Subject(s)
Acute Disease , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Conjunctivitis/drug therapy , Disease Outbreaks/epidemiology , Enterovirus/isolation & purification , Enterovirus Infections/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Male , Neomycin/therapeutic use , SingaporeABSTRACT
An investigation of an outbreak of acute conjunctivitis in Kuala Lumpur from May to August 1978 was made. A total of 2,133 cases was involved, most of whom were adult Malay males of low income status from the surrounding villages and low-cost flats. The majority of cases had bilateral conjunctivitis with clear discharge. Pain and subconjunctival haemorrhage were not common and recovery, mostly without complications, occurred within 1 week. Eye scrapings and paired sera specimens were examined and the causal agent was found to be Coxsackievirus A24 (CA24).
Subject(s)
Acute Disease , Adolescent , Adult , Antibodies, Viral/analysis , Child , Conjunctiva/microbiology , Conjunctivitis/epidemiology , Racial Groups , Convalescence , Coxsackievirus Infections/epidemiology , Disease Outbreaks/epidemiology , Enterovirus/immunology , Humans , Malaysia , Middle Aged , Neutralization TestsABSTRACT
A preliminary report on an unidentified virus from two cases of infantile myocarditis is presented. The virus isolated from two separate occasions showed characteristics of an enterovirus. The significance of this virus in its association with infantile myocarditis requires further investigation.
Subject(s)
Enterovirus/isolation & purification , Humans , Infant , Male , Myocarditis/microbiology , SerotypingABSTRACT
The paper reports on a coxsackievirus type A24 epidemic of acute conjunctivitis in Brunei. The role of the Singapore Epidemic Conjunctivitis 1970 (coxsackievirus type A24) virus in the new disease syndrome variously known as the "Epidemic Haemorrhagic Conjunctivitis", "Picornavirus Epidemic Conjunctivitis" and "Acute Haemorrhagic Conjunctivitis" is again established.
Subject(s)
Brunei , Conjunctivitis/epidemiology , Coxsackievirus Infections/epidemiology , Enterovirus/isolation & purification , HumansABSTRACT
The 1975 epidemic of acute conjunctivitis was caused by the return of S.E.C. 1970 virus (CA24). The clinical manifestations of cases seen in the recent epidemic were similar to those seen during the 1970 epidemic caused by S.E.C. 1970 virus (CA24) and the 1971 epidemic caused by S.E.C. 1971 virus (entero-virus type 70). In our opinion, both the S.E.C. 1970 VIRUS (CA24) and S.E.C. 1971 virus (enterovirus type 70) are equally important causes of epidemics of acute conjunctivitis more commonly known as the "Acute Haemorrhagic Conjunctivitis". Although these two enteroviruses affect mainly the eye, apart from conjunctival secretions, they could be transmitted in respiratory droplets and faeces. The authors would prefer to retain the term "Picornavirus Epidemic Conjunctivitis" to denote infection by S.E.C. 1970 virus (CA24) and S.E.C. 1971 virus (enterovirus type 70).