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Background A significant increase in adenovirus detection among patients at the Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City was observed between June 2007 and January 2008. Objective To molecularly characterize the human adenoviruses and describe their association with clinical illness in children. Study design One hundred adenovirus-positive specimens from 79 children were typed by hexon gene sequence typing method. Restriction enzyme analysis (REA) was performed on isolates of HAdV-3, -7 and -14 to identify genomic variants. Medical records were reviewed to understand the clinical illnesses associated with adenovirus serotypes and genome types. Results The most prevalent HAdV serotypes were HAdV-3 (37%), HAdV-7 (25%), HAdV-1 (16%), HAdV-2 (8%). HAdV infection was common in children ≤3 years of age (71%) versus children >3 years (29%). Majority of the HAdV-infected children were hospitalized (78%); 22/79 (28%) stayed >3 days and 8/79 (10%) required intensive care unit stay. Hospitalization rates for HAdV-3 (36%) and HAdV-7 (25%) were comparable. REA data indicated that HAdV-3a2 was the predominant HAdV-3 genome type. Two novel genomic variants of HAdV-3 exhibiting unique BglII or BstEII profiles were identified in isolates from patients with bronchiolitis. All HAdV-7 and -14 isolates were identified as corresponding to genome types 7d2 and 14p1, respectively. Conclusions In Kansas City, we noticed an increase in the incidence of HAdV-7 (25%; n = 24/98) infections compared to the previous two years (6%; n = 6/107). Two new genomic variants of HAdV-3 appear to have emerged in our area and seem to be associated with lower respiratory tract infections in children.

Background The use of corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive agents increases the risk of infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The role of human adenoviruses (HAdV) in the etiology of acute viral diseases in these patients is not known. Objectives Describe a case of acute fatal disseminated adenovirus infection in an SLE patient receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Study design Case report and detailed viral diagnosis by real time PCR and molecular typing of virus isolates by sequencing of hexon and fiber genes and restriction enzyme analysis of viral DNA. Results HAdV was detected by real time PCR in multiple clinical specimens including respiratory, urine, plasma, synovial fluid, and cerebrospinal fluid. Amplification and sequence analysis of the hexon and fiber genes identified the virus as HAdV-7-like for both coding regions. Adenoviruses isolated from respiratory and urine specimens were identical and corresponded to genome type 7d2 by restriction enzyme analysis of viral DNA. The isolated strain encodes a unique fiber gene with a 6-nucleotide deletion corresponding to amino acid positions 250 and 251 in the knob region and not previously described for closely related genomic variants of HAdV-7. Conclusions Adenovirus detection should be included in the diagnostic testing to determine the infectious etiology of fever and/or respiratory symptoms in SLE patients.

BACKGROUND: Between September 2000 and November 2005, approximately 10% of the retrospectively examined human adenovirus (HAdV)-positive pediatric cases of acute respiratory disease (ARD) requiring hospitalization at the Hospital Nacional de Pediatria Juan P. Garrahan in Buenos Aires, Argentina, were found to have a HAdV-B2 infection. OBJECTIVE: To characterize genetically and antigenically the HAdV-B2 virus isolates. STUDY DESIGN: Restriction enzyme analysis (REA), hexon and fiber gene sequencing and virus neutralization assays (VN) were carried out on 8 HAdV-B2 respiratory virus isolates. RESULTS: REA showed that the 8 examined HAdV-B2 virus isolates were HAdV11, belonging to two genomic variants: HAdV11a and a BclI variant of HAdV11c which we designated 11c4. Molecular analysis of the hexon genes showed that both REA variants had a HAdV11-like hexon gene. Confirming previous reports, the 7 HAdV11a virus isolates were found to have HAdV14-like fiber genes and therefore are HAdV H11/F14. The fiber gene of the HAdV11c4 virus isolates most closely resembled that of various strains of HAdV7. In VN assays, the 4 tested HAdV11a strains were serotyped as HAdV11-14. The HAdV11c4 strain was serotyped as HAdV11 but also showed a weak but significant reactivity with antiserum to HAdV7. Compared with the other HAdV-positive cases in our study, infection with HAdV11 caused a similarly severe disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide evidence to the long term world-wide circulation of HAdV H11/F14 as a causative agent of ARD. Combined, our molecular and serology data support the rationale to base the molecular typing and designation of recombinant viruses on the sequences of the hexon and fiber genes. Fil: Kajon, Adriana E.. Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute; Estados Unidos Fil: Jong, Jan C. de. Erasmus Medical Centre; Países Bajos Fil: Dickson, Laura. Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute; Estados Unidos Fil: Arron, Georgina. Erasmus Medical Centre; Países Bajos Fil: Murtagh, Patricia. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Pediatría "Juan P. Garrahan"; Argentina Fil: Viale, Diana. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Pediatría "Juan P. Garrahan"; Argentina Fil: Carballal, Guadalupe. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET.; Argentina Fil: Echavarría, Marcela Silvia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET.; Argentina

An intertypic recombinant adenovirus with a serotype 3-like hexon gene and a serotype 16-like fiber (99% identical to that of the prototype strain of human adenovirus 16 [HAdV-16], Ch79) was isolated in Argentina from an infant admitted to the hospital with acute respiratory disease. Consistent with the results of molecular characterization, strain Arg827/04 was designated H3-F16. Copyright © 2010, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved. Fil: Kajon, Adriana E.. Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute; Estados Unidos Fil: Dickson, Laura M.. Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute; Estados Unidos Fil: Murtagh, Patricia. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Pediatría "Juan P. Garrahan"; Argentina Fil: Viale, Diana. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Pediatría "Juan P. Garrahan"; Argentina Fil: Carballal, Guadalupe. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno”; Argentina Fil: Echavarría, Marcela Silvia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno”; Argentina