STUDIES ON ACUTE HEMORRHAGIC CONJUNCTIVITIS (AHC) VIRUS: I. ISOLATION OF AHC VIRUS FROM CONJUNCTIVAL SCRAPINGS, THROAT SWABS AND FECES OF PATIENTS

Over a period of four months from September to December in 1972, acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) was prevalent in the Kuwana area of Mie Prefecture. An attempt was made to isolate AHC virus from 111 patients in the monkey kidney cell culture. The isolation rates from conjunctival scrapings, throat swabs, and feces were 25.2%, 5.1%, and 3.8%, respectively. An optimal temperature was 33°C for the propagation of AHC virus. Some strains were grown well at 37°C, as well as at 33°C. On the basis of these results, it is quite probable that the infection of AHC virus is generally transmitted from feces to mouth in nature, as well as that of common enterovirus.