POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF SHAKING HANDS WITH YOUR PATIENTS WITH EPIDEMIC KERATOCONJUNCTIVITIS

PURPOSE: We evaluated patients' hands as a possible vector for the spr ead of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis. METHODS: The hands and conjuncti vas of 26 patients with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis and the hands of 26 uninfected control patients were cultured for infectious adenoviru s. RESULTS: In 12 (46%) of 26 patients with epidemic keratoconjunctivi tis, cultures from the hands were positive for adenovirus, whereas cul tures from the hands of all uninfected control patients were negative. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous coinfection of patients' hands and eyes wit h adenovirus may con tribute to office epidemics, Ophthalmologists and coworkers should not shake the hands of patients suspected of having epidemic keratoconjunctivitis unless properly gloved.