Continuing Studies on the Association of Adenovirus Type 8 with Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis*

The Story of Shipyard Eye

“…While much of this hypothesis is entirely speculative, some facts in its support are established now. Childhood infection is common in Japan; children are commonly the first members of the family group to be infected (Mitsui and Jawetz, 1957); between one-fourth and one-third of the population have antibodies to adenovirus type 8, suggesting a high endemic level of infection. The systemic nature of the childhood infection and its prevalence suggest that it can be acquired spontaneously by routes other than eye-to-eye transmission.…”

Genomic foundations of evolution and ocular pathogenesis in human adenovirus species D

“…Ten days after the initial contact, the patient’s nurse contracted a similar infection and also developed typical corneal opacities . By 1957, 80% of EKC cases were documented as associated with adenovirus type 8 . Mitsui et al .…”

Epidemic Kerato-Conjunctivitis: Report of an Outbreak Which Resulted in Ward Cross-Infection

“…It would seem that successful transmission requires a large inoculum placed directly in the eye from infected persons or objects, probably aided by minor trauma (Jawetz, 1962). This situation is especially found in the instrumentation and examination that occurs in the out-patients departments of eye hospitals and explains the largely iatrogenic spread of the disease under these circumstances.…”