Epidemic kerato-conjunctivitis--do outbreaks have to be epidemic?

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric acute conjunctivitis disease trends

The COVID-19 pandemic notably influenced the transmission of infectious diseases across various age groups. In this study, we assessed its impact on pediatric acute conjunctivitis trends in southern Israel. We analyzed acute conjunctivitis diagnoses from 2017 to 2022, categorizing them into pre-lockdown, lockdown, and post-lockdown intervals. A control group of non-infectious dermatologic conditions was included. Time-series analysis, adjusted for seasonality, was employed. Pre-lockdown data indicated steady conjunctivitis diagnoses, primarily in winter. Post-lockdown interval exhibited an added summer peak before the regular winter surge. The lockdown saw a 56% decline in diagnoses, most pronounced in younger ages. Post-lockdown observed a 7% overall drop with age-specific variations. The acute conjunctivitis IRR was 0.44 (95% CI 0.39-0.49) during lockdowns and 0.93 (95% CI 0.86-1.02) post-lockdowns. Control group IRRs were 0.84 (95% CI 0.78-0.89) and 0.90 (95% CI 0.84-0.96), respectively, with the 0-5 age range demonstrating significant disparities. Pediatric acute conjunctivitis in southern Israel decreased significantly during the pandemic. Post-lockdown patterns varied by age group. An unusual summer peak in cases was observed post-lockdown; this peak may be influenced by a combination of altered behaviors in the summer and possibly increased susceptibility to infection.

Molecular, Epidemiological and Clinical Assessment of Adenoviral Keratoconjunctivitis in Egypt: Institutional Study

PURPOSE

To evaluate the frequency of Human adenovirus (HAdV) and its serotypes in keratoconjunctivitis patients who attended the outpatient clinics of Mansoura Ophthalmic Center, Egypt.

METHODS

Conjunctival secretions and corneal scrapings were collected from patients complaining of clinically diagnosed viral keratoconjunctivitis. The molecular method for HAdV detection was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction enzymes (REA) determination of serotypes for hexone gene.

RESULTS

HAdV infection was detected in 38% of samples. There were 4 serotypes of Human adenovirus species D (HAdV-D) isolated (4, 8, 37, 3), where HAdV-D8 was the most dominant. Contact with infected patient, follicular conjunctivitis and subepithelial corneal infiltrates are useful features for clinical diagnosis of adenoviral conjunctivitis.

CONCLUSION

HAdV was significant etiological factor of acute follicular conjunctivitis. Accurate diagnosis of adenoviral conjunctivitis is essential for appropriate management, reducing permanent visual impairment and to limit the transmission of the virus within the community.

Goldmann Applanation Tonometry: Comparison of Intraocular Pressure Values Obtained with Disposable Tip and Conventional Applanation Prism in the Population without Clinical Signs of Glaucoma

Aim

Comparing intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements using Goldmann applanation prism and TonoSafe® in the population without signs of glaucoma.

Material and methods

Patients with no ocular pathologies, except ametropia (until ± 4 D) or IOP of <30 mm Hg without signs of glaucoma by optic disc structural analysis by fundus biomicroscopy. The IOP was measured sequentially using the traditional cone and the TonoSafe®, according to a randomization list to determine which device would be used first. The measurements from the right and left eyes were compared separately. Since there was no statistical difference, both eyes were considered in this study.

Results

A total of 385 eyes of 194 patients with a mean age of 66.4 ± 11.2 years old were included. The mean IOP with conventional prism was 14.2 ± 3.6 and 14.3 ± 3.6 mm Hg with TonoSafe®. Differences were not statistically significant by the Wilcoxon test (p = 0.3). The median was 14.0 mm Hg for both groups. The mean difference between measurements was 0.04 mm Hg, with the median equal to zero. There was no statistical difference in IOP readings according to which device was the first measurement.

Conclusion

No statistical difference was found in IOP was measured with conventional prism or TonoSafe® in the population without signs of glaucoma.

Clinical significance

The data provided by our study support the efficacy and safety of the disposable tonometer compared to the Goldman tonometer in measuring IOP in patients without glaucoma.

How to cite this article

Soares PHA, Santos RDO, Filho CRADM, et al. Goldmann Applanation Tonometry: Comparison of Intraocular Pressure Values Obtained with Disposable Tip and Conventional Applanation Prism in the Population without Clinical Signs of Glaucoma. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2023;17(2):75-78.

The molecular epidemiology, genotyping, and clinical manifestation of prevalent adenovirus infection during the epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, South of Iran

PURPOSE

Adenoviral-mediated keratoconjunctivitis is among the emergency diseases of ophthalmology with long-term sequels. The role of adenovirus infection, ocular-related genotypes, and association with ocular symptoms need to be investigated for epidemiological as well as clinical purposes.

METHODS

The affected patients from two close keratoconjunctivitis epidemics were included in the study. The swab samples were taken from patients; the total DNA was extracted and then used as a template for in-house Real-time PCR. Besides, partial Hexon genes of 11 adenovirus positive samples were amplified and submitted to sanger sequencing. Moreover, they were finally evaluated by phylogenetic analysis.

RESULTS

Of 153 patients, 92 (60.1%) were males and 47 cases (30.7%) had a history of eye infection in the family or colleagues. Real-time PCR tests of 126 samples (82.4%) were positive for adenovirus, and all eleven cases that underwent sequencing analysis were determined to be group 8 (HAdV-D8). Adenovirus infection has a significant relationship with infection among family or colleagues (p = 0.048), membrane formation (p = 0.047), conjunctival bleeding (p = 0.046), tearing, and pain(p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicated that Adenovirus is the major cause of keratoconjunctivitis, and HAdV-D8 was the most common genotype in the area. There were some clinical manifestations associated with Adenovirus infection of the conjunctiva.

Correlation of Adenoviral Titers with Severity of Adenoviral Conjunctivitis and Time to Viral Clearance for 21 Days

SIGNIFICANCE

This investigation reports the correlation of conjunctival viral titers in adenoviral conjunctivitis with patient-reported symptoms and clinician-graded signs for 21 days of follow-up.

PURPOSE

Adenoviral conjunctivitis is a highly contagious viral eye infection with significant morbidity and economic impact. This study investigates whether severity of signs and symptoms and time to viral clearance are correlated with conjunctival viral titers at baseline and during 21 days of follow-up.

METHODS

The Reducing Adenoviral Patient Infected Days study was a pilot study of the efficacy of a single in-office administration of ophthalmic 5% povidone-iodine. This article outlines longitudinal analyses after the primary outcome report. Of 212 participants screened, 28 participants with quantitative polymerase chain reaction-confirmed adenoviral conjunctivitis were randomized and had follow-up visits on days 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, and 21. At each visit, clinician-graded signs, participant-reported symptoms, and a conjunctival swab for quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis were obtained. The correlation of viral titers with symptoms and signs was calculated: (1) cross-sectionally at each visit and (2) longitudinally for 21 days using a repeated-measures mixed-effects model.

RESULTS

Twenty-five of 28 participants had sufficient data for this report. Higher viral titers for 21 days were correlated with greater severity of symptoms (tearing, matting, and redness, r ≥ 0.70; P < .02) and greater severity of clinical signs (bulbar redness and serous discharge, r ≥ 0.60; P < .01). Eyes with highest baseline viral titers required longer time to viral clearance ( r = 0.59, P = .008). Signs and symptoms persisted in approximately half of the eyes even after viral clearance.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher conjunctival viral titers across 21 days were strongly correlated with more severe signs and symptoms and longer time to viral clearance. Our results also indicate that symptoms and signs can persist after viral clearance.

Molecular analysis of human adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis cases: Results of a 2-year survey

Objective: This study aimed to determine the adenovirus genotypes and their epidemiological features between January 2018 and November 2019, in Istanbul, Turkey. Material and Methods: Conjunctival swab samples were obtained from patients who were clinically diagnosed with keratoconjunctivitis. Samples were screened with an Adeno Detector kit (Rapid Pathogen Screening, RPS Inc., South Williamsport, PA). Nucleic acid extraction and amplification were performed with the ADENOVIRUS ELITe MGB® kit in the ELITe In Genius instrument (Elitech Group, Torino, Italy). For subtyping of the strains, sequencing primers targeted the ‘Hypervariable Region 7’ (HVR-7) of the hexon gene were used. DNA sequence analysis (n:72) was performed with ABI PRISM® 3100 Genetic Analyzer (Applied Biosystems, USA), and subtyping was done by BLAST analysis. Results: The median viral load in the samples (n: 77) was 7 log10 copies/mL (IQR: 4.5-7.4 log10 copies/mL). The clinical finding score was found to be significantly higher in the high viral load group (Adenovirus DNA≥6 Log 10 copies/mL) than in the low viral load group (Adenovirus DNA

The effect of povidone-iodine 2% eye drops in the treatment of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis

BACKGROUND

Keratoconjunctivitis is one of the most common pathologies worldwide, caused by several infectious and noninfectious factors. This study aimed to determine the effect of povidone-iodine 2% eye drops in treating adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis.

METHODS

This analytic cross-sectional study was conducted on patients referred to Farabi Eye Hospital Records of patients with adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis, more than 12 years of age, and no allergy to iodine who were treated by povidone-iodine 2% eye drops four times a day were assessed. Data included demographic characteristics, family history of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis, follicular conjunctivitis, petechial conjunctival hemorrhages, periauricular lymphadenopathy, and the presence of conjunctival pseudomembrane were collected from the records. Discharge decrease, injection decrease, swelling decrease, pseudomembrane formation, periauricular lymphadenopathy, and subepithelial infiltration on the 7^thday of assessment by physical examination were reported.

RESULTS

Patients with a mean (±standard deviation) age of 33.77 (11.01) years were assessed. At the baseline, 95 (99.0%) follicular conjunctivitis, 94 (97.9%) petechial conjunctival hemorrhages, 29 (30.2%) periauricular lymphadenopathy, and 5 (5.2%) conjunctival pseudomembrane were recorded. On the 7^thday of treatment, the discharge decreased in 92.7% of patients, and the injection decreased in 90.6%. The swelling decrease was also detected in 79.2% of patients. Subepithelial infiltration was only seen in 21.9% of the study population. Results showed that 2.1% of patients had periauricular lymphadenopathy, and only 13 out of 96 patients (13.5%) had pseudomembrane formation after 7 days.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the safety, availability, and tolerability of povidone-iodine and its promising effects on patients with adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis, further clinical trials assessing the impact of this drug in a longer duration of follow-up can be recommended.

Machine Learning Prediction of Adenovirus D8 Conjunctivitis Complications from Viral Whole-Genome Sequence

Objective

To obtain complete DNA sequences of adenoviral (AdV) D8 genome from patients with conjunctivitis and determine the relation of sequence variation to clinical outcomes.

Design

This study is a post hoc analysis of banked conjunctival swab samples from the BAYnovation Study, a previously conducted, randomized controlled clinical trial for AdV conjunctivitis.

Participants

Ninety-six patients with AdV D8-positive conjunctivitis who received placebo treatment in the BAYnovation Study were included in the study.

Methods

DNA from conjunctival swabs was purified and subjected to whole-genome viral DNA sequencing. Adenovirus D8 variants were identified and correlated with clinical outcomes, including 2 machine learning methods.

Main Outcome Measures

Viral DNA sequence and development of subepithelial infiltrates (SEIs) were the main outcome measures.

Results

From initial sequencing of 80 AdV D8-positive samples, full adenoviral genome reconstructions were obtained for 71. A total of 630 single-nucleotide variants were identified, including 156 missense mutations. Sequence clustering revealed 3 previously unappreciated viral clades within the AdV D8 type. The likelihood of SEI development differed significantly between clades, ranging from 83% for Clade 1 to 46% for Clade 3. Genome-wide analysis of viral single-nucleotide polymorphisms failed to identify single-gene determinants of outcome. Two machine learning models were independently trained to predict clinical outcome using polymorphic sequences. Both machine learning models correctly predicted development of SEI outcomes in a newly sequenced validation set of 16 cases (P = 1.5 × 10-5). Prediction was dependent on ensemble groups of polymorphisms across multiple genes.

Conclusions

Adenovirus D8 has ≥ 3 prevalent molecular substrains, which differ in propensity to result in SEIs. Development of SEIs can be accurately predicted from knowledge of full viral sequence. These results suggest that development of SEIs in AdV D8 conjunctivitis is largely attributable to pathologic viral sequence variants within the D8 type and establishes machine learning paradigms as a powerful technique for understanding viral pathogenicity.

Evaluation of knowledge, attitude, and behaviour of ophthalmologists about adenoviral conjunctivitis transmission and treatment : An online survey for Turkish ophthalmologists

PURPOSE

To determine the prevalence of adenoviral conjunctivitis in Turkish ophthalmologists, to provide an overview of the treatment and prophylaxis of adenoviral conjunctivitis, and to analyze the data in the context of evidence-based treatment recommendations.

METHODS

An online questionnaire consisting of 20 multiple-choice questions about the characteristics of the respondents, the individual adenoviral conjunctivitis history of the ophthalmologists, their practice's approaches, and prescription preferences were emailed to Turkish ophthalmologists.

RESULTS

The survey was emailed to 500 ophthalmologists; 45% of them returned the questionnaire. According to the responses, the history of adenoviral conjunctivitis infections was positive in 46.7% (n: 120), recurrent attack prevalence was 16.2% in ophthalmologists. Lubricants (67.6%) are the most preferred first-line treatment options for adenoviral conjunctivitis, followed by povidone-iodine (59.6%), topical antibiotics (51.1%), topical antivirals (29.3%), topical corticosteroids (26.7%), and topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (19.6%). A total of 98.2% preferred to dismiss infected patients. The preferred prophylaxis options were frequent hand washing/use of gloves (97.8%), disinfection of medical devices (95.1%), isolation of infected patients (79.1%), hand hygiene with gemicides (58.7%). The percentage of single-dose eye drop selection was 46.2.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this survey showed that most Turkish ophthalmologists generally follow international guidelines for the treatment of adenoviral conjunctivitis. The treatment algorithm is still controversial, so ophthalmologists should be aware of treatment guideline updates in line with evidence-based recommendations. Having sufficient knowledge of the basic characteristics of viruses is important to control the spread of the disease.

Molecular and Clinical Characterization of Human Adenovirus E4-Associated Conjunctivitis

PURPOSE

To determine the characteristics of conjunctivitis associated with human adenovirus E4 (AdV E4).

METHODS

Samples and outcomes from 500 patients with conjunctivitis were obtained from the NVC-422 randomized controlled clinical trial comparing auriclosene to placebo. Molecular typing identified 36 cases associated with AdV E4. Signs and symptoms at presentation and at the day 18 endpoint were compared with the larger cohort of 262 subjects with conjunctivitis caused by due to AdV D8. Full viral genomes of 22 AdV E4 isolates were reconstructed.

RESULTS

AdV E4 was the most frequently identified adenoviral type in conjunctivitis cases from the United States. Signs and symptoms at presentation were comparable to those associated with AdV D8. Viral load at presentation was comparable between groups but resolution was more rapid in the AdV E4 group. Clinical signs were fully resolved by day 18 in 26 of 36 (72%) patients with AdV E4. Subepithelial infiltrates developed in 12 of 36 (33%) patients with AdV E4 compared with 98 of 215 (45%) patients with AdV D8 (P = .0001). One hundred twenty-four polymorphisms were observed among 22 whole viral genome sequences, which clustered into 3 clades. Patients in each clade developed subepithelial infiltrates. Neither single nucleotide polymorphism analysis nor machine learning approaches identified specific sequence features predictive of presenting signs or outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

AdV E4 conjunctivitis may be indistinguishable at presentation from AdV D8-associated disease. Resolution of viral load for AdV E4 appears more rapid than for AdV D8, and the risk for subepithelial infiltrates appears lower. Multiple substrains of AdV E4 are in circulation but all appeared equivalently pathogenic for conjunctivitis. NOTE: Publication of this article is sponsored by the American Ophthalmological Society.

Povidone iodine for the treatment of adenoviral conjunctivitis

Adenoviral conjunctivitis is the most common cause of ocular viral infection in the world, but currently has no approved therapeutic treatments. The antiseptic povidone-iodine (PVP-I) has been used as an off-label treatment for the condition, but high-quality evidence for its use is limited. This paper aims to review the literature surrounding the use of PVP-I in the management of adenoviral conjunctivitis. Unfortunately, treatment regimens, inclusion criteria, outcome measures, and review periods vary widely between studies, making direct comparisons between outcomes difficult. The majority of studies investigate daily instillation of 0.4 to 2.0% PVP-I rather than one-time instillation of PVP-I as has been used anecdotally in practice. In addition, only one treatment arm investigates daily PVP-I alone, with no significant difference in the duration of disease or clinical outcome compared to placebo. All other treatment arms investigate PVP-I in combination with dexamethasone which generally improve outcomes. Tolerability of PVP-I is generally good for low concentrations <1.0%, but efficacy of treatment is generally reported to be concentration dependent. Future research should investigate the optimal concentration, dosing regimen and role of each agent in combination treatment and aim to use laboratory techniques to improve diagnosis and provide quantifiable outcomes.

Virucidal benefits of povidone-iodine use on the ocular surface: a review

Povidone-iodine (PVI) preparations are well known for their microbicidal effect. In ophthalmology, PVI is commonly used to sterilise the ocular surface prior to surgical procedures. It is also used uncommonly as treatment for adenoviral conjunctivitis, yet the virucidal benefits of PVI have not been clearly documented in existing clinical management guidelines for ocular surface conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, has challenged traditional healthcare systems. The morbidity and mortality of this highly contagious disease have resulted in fatalities among healthcare workers, including ophthalmologists. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has been identified on conjunctival testing, a potential source of contagious infection which may be unrecognised in asymptomatic carriers. Concern has been raised that ocular procedures may be ‘aerosol-generating’ and the additional wearing of personal protective equipment has been recommended to protect operating theatre staff. This literature review demonstrates that PVI has a broad virucidal activity, including against coronaviruses. It is already used perioperatively as standard of ophthalmic care and has been shown clinically to be effective against adenoviruses on the ocular surface. The current surgical practice of application of 5%–10% PVI applied periocularly for 3 min seems to provide an adequate effective reduction in the patient’s ocular surface viral load. The virucidal benefits of routine PVI use should be included in ophthalmology guidelines regarding safe ocular surgery protocols.

Management of Adenoviral Keratoconjunctivitis: Challenges and Solutions

Human adenovirus (HAdV) is the most common cause of infectious conjunctivitis, accounting for up to 75% of all conjunctivitis cases and affecting people of all ages and demographics. In addition to ocular complications, it can cause systemic infections in the form of gastroenteritis, respiratory disease, and dissemination in immunocompromised individuals. HAdV causes lytic infection of the mucoepithelial cells of the conjunctiva and cornea, as well as latent infection of lymphoid and adenoid cells. Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) is the most severe ocular manifestation of HAdV infection, in which the presence of subepithelial infiltrates (SEIs) in the cornea is a hallmark feature of corneal involvement. SEIs have the tendency to recur and may lead to long-term visual disability. HAdV persistence and dissemination are linked to sporadic outbreaks of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis. There is no FDA-approved antiviral for treating adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis, and as such, solutions should be proffered to handle the challenges associated with viral persistence and dissemination. Several treatment modalities have been investigated, both systemically and locally, to not only mitigate symptoms but reduce the course of the infection and prevent the risk of long-term complications. These options include systemic and topical antivirals, in-office povidone-iodine irrigation (PVI), immunoglobulin-based therapy, anti-inflammatory therapy, and immunotherapy. More recently, combination PVI/dexamethasone ophthalmic formulations have shown favorable outcomes and were well tolerated in clinical trials for the treatment of EKC. Possible, future treatment considerations include sialic acid analogs, cold atmospheric plasma, N-chlorotaurine, and benzalkonium chloride. Continued investigation and evaluation of treatment are warranted to reduce the economic burden and potential long-term visual debilitation in affected patients. This review will focus on how persistence and dissemination of HAdV pose a significant challenge to the management of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis. Furthermore, current and future trends in prophylactic and therapeutic modalities for adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis will be discussed.

Unbiased Pathogen Detection and Host Gene Profiling for Conjunctivitis

PURPOSE

The etiology of conjunctivitis is often misdiagnosed. An ideal diagnostic test would identify all possible infectious causes. In this study, we apply unbiased metagenomic RNA deep sequencing (MDS) to identify pathogens causing conjunctivitis.

DESIGN

Molecular study of prospectively collected conjunctival swabs from patients with presumed infectious conjunctivitis.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with presumed acute infectious conjunctivitis.

METHODS

Conjunctival swabs were collected from patients presenting with acute conjunctivitis. Swabs were processed for MDS. Pathogens were identified using a rapid computational pipeline to analyze the nonhost sequences obtained from MDS. Differential gene expression analysis was performed to evaluate for host transcriptome signatures for infectious types. Clinical samples were deidentified, and laboratory personnel handling the samples and interpreting the data were masked.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Pathogens and differential transcripts identified by MDS.

RESULTS

Metagenomic RNA deep sequencing detected pathogens in 86% (12/14) of the patients tested. Swabs from 10 of 14 patients were positive for human adenovirus (HAdV) while swabs from 2 of 14 patients were positive for Vittaforma corneae (a parasitic fungal species of the microsporidia group). Samples positive for HAdV by RNA-seq were independently verified in a CLIA-certified laboratory. Pathogen-directed polymerase chain reaction confirmed the presence of V. corneae genome in the samples positive by RNA-seq. Local host transcriptome analysis identified 12 differentially expressed genes that provided distinct expression signatures for patients infected with HAdV compared with V. corneae.

CONCLUSIONS

Metagenomic RNA deep sequencing can reliably detect and quantify common and rare pathogens causing conjunctivitis, and identify strains. The unbiased nature of metagenomic RNA deep sequencing allowed an expanded scope of pathogen detection, including fungal species not commonly associated with acute conjunctivitis. In addition, the identification of infection type-specific local host transcriptome signatures may allow for pathogen detection even when the pathogen load is too low for direct identification.

Clinical case: severe course of adenoviral conjunctivitis with a hemorrhagic component complicated by a toxic-allergic reaction against a pregnancy

One of the manifestations of adenovirus keratoconjunctivitis – extensive subconjunctival hemorrhages – is the characteristic of rather rare hemorrhagic form of conjunctivitis of severe course. Patients, especially pregnant women, with clinical manifestations of adenoviral conjunctivitis of severe course with a hemorrhagic component complicated by a toxic-allergic reaction, require close attention not only from ophthalmologists. It is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination, including: general blood test, coagulogram, consultation of the therapist. Clinical signs of deterioration, in the early days of the disease, against the backdrop of treatment, is a clinical feature of the course of adenovirus infection, which should be informed to the patient. The use of a complex approach using the domestic non-toxic inducer of interferon formation of Poludan (polyA:polyU complex) in instillations and injections, supplemented by scraping-massage with a glass rod of the tarsal conjunctiva, facilitating the elimination of adenovirus from conjunctival follicles, quickly and effectively reversed the phenomenon of severe AVC. The appointment of corticosteroid therapy, regardless of the severity of the toxic-allergic reaction, is shown no earlier than 7 days after the manifestation of the disease.

Use of real-time semiquantitative PCR data in management of a neonatal intensive care unit adenovirus outbreak

OBJECTIVE

To describe an adenovirus outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), including the use of qualitative and semiquantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) data to inform the outbreak response.

DESIGN

Mixed prospective and retrospective observational study.

SETTING

A level IV NICU in the southeastern United States.PatientsTwo adenovirus cases were identified in a NICU. Screening of all inpatients with qPCR on nasopharyngeal specimens revealed 11 additional cases.InterventionsOutbreak response procedures, including enhanced infection control policies, were instituted. Serial qPCR studies were used to screen for new infections among exposed infants and to monitor viral clearance among cases. Changes to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) exam procedures were made after an association was noted in those patients. At the end of the outbreak, a retrospective review allowed for comparison of clinical factors between the infected and uninfected groups.

RESULTS

There were no new cases among patients after outbreak identification. One adenovirus-infected patient died; the others recovered their clinical baselines. The ROP exams were associated with an increased risk of infection (odds ratio [OR], 84.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.5-1,601). The duration of the outbreak response was 33 days, and the previously described second wave of cases after the end of the outbreak did not occur. Revisions to infection control policies remained in effect following the outbreak.

CONCLUSIONS

Retinopathy of prematurity exams are potential mechanisms of adenovirus transmission, and autoclaved or single-use instruments should be used to minimize this risk. Real-time molecular diagnostic and quantification data guided outbreak response procedures, which rapidly contained and fully terminated a NICU adenovirus outbreak.

Determinants of Outcomes of Adenoviral Keratoconjunctivitis

PURPOSE

To determine host and pathogen factors predictive of outcomes in a large clinical cohort with keratoconjunctivitis.

DESIGN

Retrospective analyses of the clinical and molecular data from a randomized, controlled, masked trial for auricloscene for keratoconjunctivitis (NVC-422 phase IIB, NovaBay; clinicaltrials.gov identifier, NCT01877694).

PARTICIPANTS

Five hundred participants from United States, India, Brazil, and Sri Lanka with clinical diagnosis of keratoconjunctivitis and positive rapid test results for adenovirus.

METHODS

Clinical signs and symptoms and bilateral conjunctival swabs were obtained on days 1, 3, 6, 11, and 18. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was performed to detect and quantify adenovirus in all samples. Regression models were used to evaluate the association of various variables with keratoconjunctivitis outcomes. Time to resolution of each symptom or sign was assessed by adenoviral species with Cox regression.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The difference in composite scores of clinical signs between days 1 and 18, mean visual acuity change between days 1 and 18, and time to resolution of each symptom or sign.

RESULTS

Of 500 participants, 390 (78%) showed evidence of adenovirus by PCR. Among adenovirus-positive participants, adenovirus D species was most common (63% of total cases), but a total of 4 species and 21 different types of adenovirus were detected. Adenovirus D was associated with more severe signs and symptoms, a higher rate of subepithelial infiltrate development, and a slower decline in viral load compared with all other adenovirus species. The clinical courses of all patients with non-adenovirus D species infection and adenovirus-negative keratoconjunctivitis were similar. Mean change in visual acuity between days 1 and 18 was a gain of 1.9 letters; worse visual outcome was associated with older age.

CONCLUSIONS

A substantial proportion of keratoconjunctivitis is not associated with a detectable adenovirus. The clinical course of those with adenovirus D keratoconjunctivitis is significantly more severe than those with non-adenovirus D species infections or adenovirus-negative keratoconjunctivitis; high viral load at presentation and non-United States origin of participants is associated with poorer clinical outcome.

Detection and Prevalence of Adenoviral Conjunctivitis among Hospital Employees Using Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction as an Infection Prevention Tool

Hospital employees with suspected adenoviral conjunctivitis underwent evaluation and testing with real-time polymerase chain reaction. Viral conjunctivitis was suspected in 307 (59%) of 518 employees with eye complaints; adenovirus was detected in 4% (22 of 518). Four employees had genotypes consistent with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis. This algorithm minimizes productivity loss compared with clinical diagnosis.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;35(6):728–731

A Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Algorithm to Detect and Prevent Transmission of Adenoviral Conjunctivitis in Hospital Employees

PURPOSE

To devise and implement a practice algorithm that would enable rapid detection and appropriate furlough of hospital employees with adenoviral conjunctivitis in order to prevent healthcare-associated epidemic keratoconjunctivitis.

DESIGN

Evaluation of an ongoing quality assurance/improvement initiative.

METHODS

Employees of Johns Hopkins Hospital with signs and symptoms of adenoviral conjunctivitis underwent evaluation by nurse practitioners in Occupational Health and rapid diagnostic testing by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sequencing was used to determine serotype when adenovirus was detected. Signs, symptoms, diagnosis, and disposition of employees with eye complaints as well as PCR and serotype results were recorded.

RESULTS

Over a 36-month period approximately 18% of initial employee visits were due to unique, eye-related complaints. Viral conjunctivitis was suspected in 542 of 858 employees with eye complaints (62%); adenovirus was detected by PCR in 44 of 542 suspected viral conjunctivitis cases (8%) or 44 of 858 employees with any eye concern (5%). Fourteen of the 44 employees had adenoviral serotypes and clinical presentation consistent with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (type 37 [n = 6], 8 [n = 4], 4 [n = 3], 19 [n = 1]). Other serotypes found in individuals with less severe conjunctivitis were 3 (n = 5), 4 (n = 5), 56 (n = 4), 1 (n = 2), 42 (n = 1), and 7 (n = 1). No healthcare-associated adenoviral conjunctivitis outbreaks occurred after algorithm implementation, and fewer employees required furlough than had clinical diagnosis alone been used.

CONCLUSIONS

The algorithm is an effective infection prevention tool that minimizes productivity loss compared to clinical diagnosis and allows for determination of prevalence and serotype characterization of adenoviral conjunctivitis in hospital employees.

Diagnosis of acute follicular conjunctivitis: A 5-year retrospective analysis in a referral center

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed using the medical records in a referral center in Mexico over a period of 5 years, in order to determine the frequency of acute follicular conjunctivitis.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

A total of 859,986 ophthalmology consultations were given, from which 8,930 were diagnosed with acute follicular conjunctivitis (1.03% of the total). The number of patients diagnosed range between 100 and 200 in the majority of months. In August 2012 an increase was observed with 308 cases, and then decreasing after two months. This study did not demonstrate a highest frequency by month, with exception of year 2012 that showed a peak incidence in the third trimester.

A systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis of tonometer disinfection methods

OBJECTIVE

The Goldmann applanation tonometer presents the problem of being one of the most widely used pieces of equipment in the ophthalmic clinic and a known risk factor for the transmission of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC). The purpose of this review is to assess the effectiveness of 3 methods of disinfection: alcohol swabs, immersion in peroxide, and the use of disposable prisms. An economic evaluation is undertaken to assess the cost-effectiveness of the 3 alternatives. In doing so, we contribute an evidence-based overview of the issue at an opportune time, because several jurisdictions are developing protocols regarding tonometer tip disinfection.

DESIGN

Systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature review was undertaken with a librarian, comprising searches of 6 electronic databases and hand searches of the grey literature. A 3-level screening process was undertaken by 2 reviewers according to prespecified inclusion and exclusion criteria. Values from included papers were used to inform a cost-effectiveness analysis undertaken using a decision tree model implemented in TreeAge. The analysis was undertaken from the hospital perspective and included all equipment and labour costs.

RESULTS

Synthesis of in vitro data indicates that all 3 methods are plausible methods of disinfection with a 64% reduction in log growth of EKC when peroxide is used compared with alcohol swabs. The incremental cost-effective ratios from the cost-effectiveness analysis were $12,000/case averted using peroxide and $61,000/case averted with Tonosafe as compared with alcohol.

CONCLUSIONS

Assuming clinical infection rates match in vitro disinfection data, the cost of bleach is high and the cost of Tonosafe is unacceptably high to reduce 1 potential case of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis.

Ocular tropism of respiratory viruses

Respiratory viruses (including adenovirus, influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, coronavirus, and rhinovirus) cause a broad spectrum of disease in humans, ranging from mild influenza-like symptoms to acute respiratory failure. While species D adenoviruses and subtype H7 influenza viruses are known to possess an ocular tropism, documented human ocular disease has been reported following infection with all principal respiratory viruses. In this review, we describe the anatomical proximity and cellular receptor distribution between ocular and respiratory tissues. All major respiratory viruses and their association with human ocular disease are discussed. Research utilizing in vitro and in vivo models to study the ability of respiratory viruses to use the eye as a portal of entry as well as a primary site of virus replication is highlighted. Identification of shared receptor-binding preferences, host responses, and laboratory modeling protocols among these viruses provides a needed bridge between clinical and laboratory studies of virus tropism.

Adenovirus advances: new diagnostic and therapeutic options

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Adenoviral infection is common, can be severe, and may cause significant morbidity.

RECENT FINDINGS

Ophthalmologists and optometrists are often guilty of spreading adenovirus because it is highly contagious and has 53 serotypes with variable morphology. Adenovirus is often difficult to diagnose based on clinical appearance and, in the early stages, is associated with a red eye or superficial keratitis common to herpes and other infections. This difficulty results in the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, which are expensive and of no established value in treating a viral infection. The difficulty of accurate diagnosis also makes the use of newer proposed treatments less valuable and even potentially hazardous.

SUMMARY

New diagnostic tests such as the Rapid Pathogen Screening (RPS) Adeno Detector that are practical, rapid, and inexpensive to use in the office may obviate these problems.

Reliability of tonosafe disposable tonometer prisms: clinical implications from the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System Quality Assurance Study

PURPOSE

Given the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System's recent introduction of single-use Tonosafe disposable tonometer prisms as an alternative to Goldmann applanation tonometers (GATs), this study had two aims: to conduct a large-scale quality assurance trial to assess the reliability of intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements of the Tonosafe disposable tonometer compared with GAT, particularly at extremes of pressure; to evaluate the suitability of Tonosafe disposable tonometer prisms as an acceptable substitute for GATs and for clinic-wide implementation in an academic tertiary referral setting.

METHODS

Ophthalmology resident physicians measured the IOPs of patients in general and specialty eye clinics with the Tonosafe disposable tonometer and GAT. Tonosafe test-retest reliability data were also collected. A retrospective review of patient charts and data analysis were performed to determine the reliability of measurements.

RESULTS

The IOPs of 652 eyes (326 patients) were measured with both GAT and Tonosafe, with a range of 3-34 mm Hg. Linear regression analysis showed R=0.93, slope=0.91, both of which supported the proposed hypothesis, and the y-intercept=-1.05 was significantly different from the hypothesized value. The Tonosafe test-retest repeatability (40 eyes of 40 patients), r=0.977, was very high, which was further supported by linear regression slope=0.993, y-intercept=0.118, and a Tonosafe repeatability coefficient of 2.06, similar to GAT repeatability.

CONCLUSIONS

The IOP measurements by Tonosafe disposable prisms correlated closely with Goldmann measurements, with similar repeated measurement variability to GAT. This suggests that the Tonosafe is an acceptable substitute for GAT to measure IOP in ophthalmology clinic settings.

Acute conjunctivitis: truth and misconceptions

OBJECTIVE

Acute conjunctivitis is an extremely common condition and can be associated with significant morbidity and economic burden. Despite this, considerable controversy exists pertaining to the prevalence, diagnosis, management, and treatment of the condition. A panel of ophthalmology experts was assembled to review and discuss the current evidence based literature as it pertains to each of these persistent controversies.

METHODS AND SCOPE

An acute conjunctivitis round table symposium was convened at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting in Atlanta, November 2008. The expert panelists consisted of four academic ophthalmologists in the field of cornea and external disease, whose discussion was informed by an English language literature survey carried out on the PubMed database for the period of January 1972 to October 2008. A narrative summary was generated from the literature review and direct transcription of this event, from which this Review article was developed.

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

Considerable light has been shed on acute microbial conjunctivitis and especially those cases caused by adenovirus. Many of the myths that have perpetuated for years have been debunked by emerging evidence. The advent and the implementation of better diagnostic tools and anti-viral medications will help clinicians to improve their diagnostic accuracy, improve management and treatment decisions, and ultimately benefit patients while saving overall healthcare costs.