2. ADENO VIRUSES
Scientific name: Adenoviridae
Adenoviruses are a group of medium sized, nonenvelopedd, double stranded DNA viruses that share a
common complement fixing antigen
They infect humans and animals
Adenoviruses are unusually stable to chemical and physical agents and to adverse pH conditions, thus
allowing for prolonged survival outside of the body.
Order: Rowavirales
Kingdom: Bamfordvirae
3. MORPHOLOGY OF ADENOVIRUSES
The adenovirus particle consists of an icosahedral protein shell
surrounding a protein core that contains the linear, double-stranded
DNA genome. The shell, which is 70 to 100 nm in diameter, is made up
of 252 structural capsomeres.
240 are called as hexons.
12 are called as pentons.
4. CLASSIFICATION
Adenoviruses are classified into 2 genera
Aviadenovirus: Aviadenoviruses are adenoviruses that affect birds—particularly chickens, ducks, geese,
turkeys and pheasants
Mastadenovirus infect mammals.
5. PATHOGENESIS
Adenoviruses primarily infect host epithelial tissues in the lungs and enteric organs
Adenoviruses can inhibit macromolecular synthesis and the transports of host mRNA to the cytoplasm of
the cell, which facilitates cell death
Adenoviruses can remain latent in their hosts for years
The penton protein of adenoviruses can be virulent to their host
6. RESPIRATORY DISEASES
The most important etiological association of adenoviruses is with the respiratory diseases.They are
responsible for 5% of acute respiratory diseases in young children and much less in adults.
Four different syndromes of respiratory infection have been linked to Adenoviruses
Acute febrile pharyngitis:
Most commonly seen in infants and young children,
symptoms include cough, stuffy nose, fever and sore throat.
Pharyngo Conjunctival fever:
Symptoms are similar to those of acute febrile pharyngitis but conjunctivitis is also present.
It tends to occur in outbreaks such as at children’s summer camps (swimming pool conjunctivitis).
:
7. RESPIRATORY DISEASES
Acute respiratory disease:
is characterized by pharyngitis, fever,
cough and malaise.
It occurs in an epidemic form among
young recruits under conditions of
fatigue and overcrowdin
Pneumonia:
a complication of acute respiratory
disease in both children and adults.
8. CLINICAL FEATURES
Adenoviruses most commonly cause respiratory illness;
however, depending on the infecting serotype, they may also
cause various other illnesses, such as gastroenteritis,
conjunctivitis, cystitis, and rash illness. Symptoms of
respiratory illness caused by adenovirus infection range from
the common cold syndrome to pneumonia, croup, and
bronchitis.
Acute follicular conjunctivitis, types 3,4 and 11 are
responsible
Adenoviral and chlamydial conjunctivitis are clinically similar
Diarrhoea – not conclusively establishedAcute haemorrhagic
cystitis in children and types 11 and 21 are responsible
Mesenteric adenitis and intussusceptions in children.
9. DIAGNOSIS
Diagnosis of adenovirus typically starts with a clinical evaluation of a person.
Antigen detection, polymerase chain reaction assay, virus isolation, and serology can be used to identify
adenovirus infections. Adenovirus typing is usually accomplished by Hemagglutination-inhibition and/or
neutralization with type-specific antiserum. Since adenovirus can be excreted for prolonged periods.
Doctors will sometimes use adenovirus laboratory diagnosis testing like blood or stool cultures, nasal
swabs, or chest X-rays to confirm an adenovirus diagnosis
10. TREATMENT
There is no specific treatment for people with adenovirus infection. Treatment of adenovirus infections is
usually supportive and aimed at relieving symptoms of the illness. Bed rest may be recommended along
with medications to reduce fever and/or pain. (Aspirin should not be given to children because it is
associated with Reye’s syndrome.)
11. PREVENTION AND CONTROL
Careful hand washing is the easiest way to prevent infection
Disinfection of Environmental surfaces with hypochlorite’s
The risk of water borne outbreaks of conjunctivitis can be
minimized by chlorination of swimming pools.
Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis can be controlled by strict
asepsis during eye examination.
