[The incidence of adenoviruses in viral conjunctivitis]. / Incidencia de los Adenovirus en las conjuntivitis virales.

A study about the incidence of Adenovirus on viral conjunctivitis was conducted. A sample design was made and samples of conjunctival exudate were taken from 150 patients with diagnosis of apparently viral conjunctivitis at the "Ramón Pando Ferrer" Ophthalmological Hospital from July to December, 1994. Samples were inoculated in cell culture and the indirect immunofluorescence technique was applied to those with a cytopathogenic effect that suggested infection due to Adenovirus. Monoclonal antibodies were used against Adenovirus allowing to identify them as part of the Adenoviridae family. The hemagglutination technique was used with erythrocytes of monkeys and rats as an indicator system in order to group the isolates previously identified by the indirect immunofluorescence technique. Later on, it was made an analysis by restriction enzymes of the viral genome to enable typing. The results of this study showed an incidence of Adenovirus on viral conjunctivitis of 20%, with a confidence interval between 14 and 26% and a reliability index of 95%. It was proved that serotype 37 caused conjunctivitis more frequently.

[Subgroups classification of strains of the respiratory syncytial virus isolated in an outbreak in Ciudad de La Havana]. / Clasificación en subgrupos de cepas del virus sincitial respiratorio aisladas de un brote en Ciudad de La Habana.

A high number of acute respiratory diseases was detected among children under one year admitted in a hospital of Havana City. 25 respiratory syncytial virus strains were obtained from 93 patients studied. Viral isolations were multiplied in HEP-2 cells and after observing a cytopathic effect of 80%, they were classified into subgroups by the indirect immunofluorescence technique, using anti-protein G antibodies from the respiratory syncytial virus. All the samples studied were classified within subgroup A. It is the first time a study like this is conducted in our country, which allowed us to deepen into the viral cause of these diseases and to know that the subgroup A of the respiratory syncytial virus circulated during the outbreak.