Collect, boil and amplify--a simple approach for the detection of three common viruses associated with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, conjunctivitis and dendritic ulcers.

During 2011' an outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis led to increased clinical requests for molecular screening of viruses from conjunctival swabs. To maximise throughput with minimal cost, a simple boil extraction on dry swabs followed by amplification and real-time detection using 'in-house' assays for herpes simplex viruses (HSV) and adenoviruses with RNaseP as an internal control was validated and introduced. Data from 541 patients who were tested for one or more viral targets was analysed.