1. Deep sequencing analysis of clinical samples from patients with acute infectious conjunctivitis during the COVID-19 delta surge in Madurai, India
- Author
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Lalitha, Prajna, Prajna, N Venkatesh, Gunasekaran, Rameshkumar, Teja, Gonugunta Vishnu, Sharma, Sankalp S, Hinterwirth, Armin, Ruder, Kevin, Zhong, Lina, Chen, Cindi, Deiner, Michael, Huang, ChunHong, Pinsky, Benjamin A, Lietman, Thomas M, Doan, Thuy, Seitzman, Gerami D, and SCORPIO (Seasonal Conjunctivitis Outbreak Reporting for Prevention and Improved Outcomes) Study Group more...
- Subjects
Adenoviruses ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Clinical Trials and Supportive Activities ,Clinical Sciences ,India ,High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ,COVID-19 ,SCORPIO (Seasonal Conjunctivitis Outbreak Reporting for Prevention and Improved Outcomes) Study Group ,Conjunctivitis ,Microbiology ,Vaccine Related ,Infectious Diseases ,Emerging Infectious Diseases ,Good Health and Well Being ,Clinical Research ,Medical Microbiology ,Virology ,Acute Disease ,Humans ,Prospective Studies ,Infection ,Eye Disease and Disorders of Vision ,Human - Abstract
BackgroundSeasonal outbreaks of infectious conjunctivitis remain a public health issue. Determination of outbreak etiologies in the context of a worldwide pandemic may provide useful information to guide public health strategies. The aim of this study was to identify pathogens associated with outpatient infectious conjunctivitis during the COVID-19 Delta surge.MethodsThis prospective study was conducted from April 2021 to September 2021. All outpatients presenting to the Aravind Eye Center (Madurai, India) with signs and symptoms consistent with acute infectious conjunctivitis were eligible. Three swabs were obtained from each participant: one from each conjunctiva and one from the anterior nares. Samples were processed for metagenomic RNA deep sequencing (RNA-seq).ResultsSamples from 106 study participants were sequenced. The most common presenting symptoms were tearing (86%) and itching (71%). Preauricular lymphadenopathy was present in 38% of participants. 20% of participants had close contacts with similar symptoms. Systemic symptoms such as coughing, runny nose, vomiting or diarrhea were uncommonly reported. 60% of all participants used some medicated eye drops upon enrollment. 75% of study participants demonstrated infection with human adenovirus D (HAdV-D). 11% of conjunctivitis was associated with SARS-CoV-2. 15% had no definitive pathogen detected. 8% of all participants had codetection of more than one pathogen on RNA-seq.ConclusionsDuring the COVID-19 Delta surge in India, HAdV-D was the most common pathogen associated with infectious conjunctivitis. SARS-CoV-2 was the second most common associated pathogen. Seasonal surveillance may be necessary for the determination of emerging and reemerging pathogens responsible for infectious conjunctivitis. more...
- Published
- 2022