Upsurge in hospitalization of pediatric patients with severe acute respiratory infections in Kolkata and surrounding districts caused by recombinant human respiratory adenovirus type B 7/3

Abstract

Globally, different genotypes of human adenoviruses are associated with outbreaks of acute respiratory infection (ARI) though such evidence is lacking from India. In the present study, we report a sudden increase in the positivity of respiratory adenovirus among hospitalized children with ARI from Kolkata and the surrounding districts of West Bengal, India, from December 2022 to date. A sharp rise in the positivity rate of respiratory adenovirus was found which ranged from 22.1% in early December 2022 to 52.6% in mid-March 2023. The overall positivity was 40.4% during the period and children in the 2 to <5 years (51.0%) age group were mostly affected. Single infection with adenovirus was found in 72.4% of cases while co-infection with rhinovirus was the maximum (9.4%).Around 97.5% of positive cases required hospitalization. Cough, breathlessness, and wheeze were the most common clinical features among positive patients. Phylogenetic analysis of the hexon and fiber gene of all the sequenced strains revealed HAdV-B 7/3 recombination with more than 99% homology within themselves. This report of a respiratory adenovirus outbreak in West Bengal, India causing severe illness in the pediatric population underscores the need for regular monitoring of the circulating strains.

Genomic Expedition: Deciphering Human Adenovirus Strains from the 2023 Outbreak in West Bengal, India: Insights into Viral Evolution and Molecular Epidemiology

“…Since December 2022, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of childhood pneumonia cases in West Bengal, India. Adenovirus was identified in the samples as the causative agent related to illness [ 12 ]. Since it was associated with the severity of the disease, it is important to assess the entire genome sequence of HAdV isolates to conduct molecular analysis of adenovirus strains involved in the West Bengal outbreak.…”

Molecular characterization of human adenoviruses associated with pediatric respiratory infections in Karachi, Pakistan

“…Species of HAdV-B, C, and E are majorly involved in causing respiratory infections, mostly asymptomatic, mild and self-limiting. However, HAdV-B3, HAdV-B7, HAdV-E4 and a recombinant virus type of HAdV-B3/B7 have been involved in often severe infections and outbreaks in military recruits and pediatric populations and immunocompromised individuals (Coleman et al 2021 ; Majumdar et al 2023 ).…”