Adenovirus
Background
- Medium-sized (90-100 nm), non-enveloped icosohedral viruses with double-stranded DNA
- > 50 types of adenoviruses can cause infections in humans
- Relatively resistant to common disinfectants and environmental conditions
Clinical Features
- Adenoviruses affect many different organ systems.
- Most commonly respiratory ill
- Common cold, pneumonia, croup, and bronchitis
- Gastroenteritis
- Conjunctivitis
- Cystitis
- Less commonly central nervous system involvement
- Most commonly respiratory ill
- More severe infection in immunocompromised individuals
- Transmitted primarily via respiratory droplets, but also by fecal routes
Differential Diagnosis
Viral respiratory illness also caused by:
- Rhinoviruses
- Coronaviruses
- Influenza viruses
- Parainfluenza viruses
- Enteroviruses
- Human metapneumoviruses
- RSV
Evaluation
- Typically clinical diagnosis after excluding other possible treatable infection
- Antigen detection, PCR assay, virus isolation, and serology can be used to identify adenovirus infections, but the presence of virus does not necessarily mean it is associated with disease
Management
- No virus-specific treatment available
- Symptomatic treatment only
- No vaccine available to the public currently
- Prevention with appropriate hand hygiene, infection control practices, and chlorinated pools
Disposition
- Commonly outpatient management
- Death exceeding rare
- Complications include necrotizing pneumonia and bronchiolitis obliterans
See Also
External Links
References
<CDC Adenoviruses for health care professionals. National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Division of Viral Diseases. April 2015/>