Molecular characterization of adenoviral infections in Cuba: report of an unusual association of species D adenoviruses with different clinical syndromes

Abstract

Adenoviruses are common pathogens that are responsible for a wide variety of infectious syndromes. The objectives of this study were to identify and characterize members of different adenovirus species at the molecular level and to describe the correlation between viruses and clinical syndromes during a period of 4 years. Between 2002 and 2006, 45 of 512 respiratory specimens (8%) from patients with acute respiratory tract infection tested positive for adenovirus. Four adenovirus isolates from samples sent for enterovirus isolation were also analyzed. This research identified 49 confirmed cases of human adenovirus infection by PCR and/or viral culture. The most common diagnosis was upper respiratory infection (44%). Human adenovirus D was the major species found (59%), followed by Human adenovirus C (36%) and Human adenovirus B (4%). Human adenovirus 5 was the major serotype found producing bronchiolitis, followed by human adenovirus 6. In patients with upper respiratory infection, the major serotype found was human adenovirus 17. Viruses of the species Human adenovirus D were identified in seven (77%) cases of acute febrile syndrome. Four isolates from clinical materials obtained from patients with encephalitis, acute flaccid paralysis and meningoencephalitis were identified as belonging to the species Human adenovirus D. Our data demonstrate a surprising result about the identification of an unusual association of viruses of the species Human adenovirus D with different clinical syndromes. This observation could be evaluated as a possible indicator of the emergence of a novel strain but further studies are required.

Viral infections of the central nervous system in Spain: A prospective study

“…Meningitis by HAdV has been identified as a complication of pneumonia as a result of disseminated infection in immunocompromised patients; the infection rarely presents primarily as a CNS disease [Studahl et al, 1998]. HAdV‐5, identified in this study as the cause of one case of cerebellitis with a history of conjunctivitis, and another of meningitis, is usually recognized as a major cause of respiratory infection in infants (bronchiolitis) [Belsy et al, 2009].…”

Adenovirus respiratory infection in hospitalized children in Hong Kong: serotype–clinical syndrome association and risk factors for lower respiratory tract infection

“…While Ad has been known to be occasionally associated with acute bronchiolitis, the role of serotype 2 has not been previously reported. One study from Cuba reported that serotype 5 accounted for 71 % of the 14 cases of acute bronchiolitis identified, but serotype 2 was not tested for in that study [2]. Their sample size was smaller (49 cases) and with a lower serotyping rate (63 %).…”

Investigation of Adenovirus Isolation Frequency from the Stool Samples of Patients Suspected with Acute Flaccid Paralysis

“…Son yıllarda yapılan çalışmalarda ise, AFP'li olguların dışkı ve diğer klinik örneklerinde bazı adenovirus tiplerinin saptanması, bu virusların AFP etiyolojisindeki olası rollerini düşündürmeye başlamıştır [8][9][10][11][12][13] . Bu noktadan hareketle, bu çalışmada, AFP şüpheli olguların dışkı örneklerinden adenovirus izolasyon sıklığının araştırılması amaçlanmıştır.…”