Etiologic Studies of Trachoma on Taiwan.

Eye specimens from first grade school children on Taiwan were cultured in yolk sac of embryonated chicken eggs and in HeLa cell tissue cultures. Four viruses, morphologically and serologically related to psittacosis-lymphogranuloma venereum group, were isolated in yolk sac from 32 children with stage II trachoma, while negative results were obtained with similar cultures of 68 specimens from other stages of trachoma, conjunctivitis and uninfected eyes. These viruses are thought to be etiologic agents of trachoma. One adenovirus was isolated from 468 children with trachoma and 4 adenoviruses were isolated from 375 children with chronic conjunctivitis. Within limitation of age group studied, it is concluded that adenoviruses do not play an important role in trachoma syndrome on Taiwan.