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
• 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

• Fever and rash
• Upper respiratory infection
• Gastroenteritis

References

<CDC Adenoviruses for health care professionals. National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Division of Viral Diseases. April 2015/>