Investigation of an epidemic of acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis in Pune, India.

An epidemic of acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) was reported from Pune in August-September, 1996. Conjunctival swabs and scrapings were taken from acute patients attending the OPD of the Ophthalmology department of B. J. Medical College, Pune. Conjunctival swabs were processed in human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HEL) cell line and viral isolates were obtained which were identified as Enterovirus (EV) 70 prime strain using standard in-vitro neutralisation test. Indirect intracellular immunofluorescence test also confirmed the identity of the virus involved in the epidemic.