The prevalence of adenoviral conjunctivitis in Tikrit district and the role of traditional medicine "OM AL KAASH" in transmission of the disease and in the severity of complications

Abstract

Adenovirus (adeno) is responsible for a large proportion of sporadic cases of keratoconjunctivitis (KC) and for outbreaks of the disease in hospitals, schools, and factories(1-2).The eye infection is characterized by a moderate to severe KC, causing in proportion of the patients hazy vision lasting several years. In this study we estimated ten thousands (10000) of patients with conjunctivitis, who admitted to ophthalmology department -in Tikrit Teaching Hospital- for checking, from Tikrit city district ( including ALalam, Baji, Alboaajeel, and AL door) for the period [January 2010- February 2011]. The results showed that adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis represented 28% of all cases of conjunctivitis in the sample of the patients visit ophthalmology department in Tikrit teaching hospital, which is considered high in relation to allergic conjunctivitis 44%, and higher than bacterial conjunctivitis 20%. Also, the results put adenoviral conjunctivitis at the top of infectious conjunctivitis which accounts 52.1%,at the period of study in which a huge number of cases were seen, followed by bacterial conjunctivitis 39.2%, then other viral causes of conjunctivitis 2%, and other infections associated with conjunctivitis.