LAUSR

The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between clinical findings and viral load in adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis (Ad-Kc). In this cross-sectional study, 30 eyes of 30 patients with Ad-Kc were enrolled. The real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect and quantify adenovirus in all samples. The patient groups were divided into three subgroups according to baseline viral loads (<107, 107-108, >108 HAdV copies/ml). The follow-up duration, HAdV DNA copy number, treatment regimen, and detailed clinical findings including uncorrected visual acuity, eyelid edema, conjunctival hyperemia, chemosis, follicular reaction, corneal involvement, conjunctival pseudomembrane, and subepithelial infiltrates (SEIs) were recorded. The study showed that a high initial viral load was associated with the development of SEIs and pseudomembrane formation (p<0.05). Clinical findings and ocular complications of Ad-Kc were found similar in treatment groups at the final visit (p>0.05). Our results showed that a high initial viral load in Ad-Kc may be predictive of inflammatory sequelae. Determination of the initial viral load in Ad-Kc may be helpful to better understand the clinical course of the disease and prevent complications.