Adenovirus
Pronunciation[edit | edit source]
Adenovirus is pronounced A-den-oh-VY-rus
Definition[edit | edit source]
- A member of a family of viruses that can cause infections in the respiratory tract, eye, and gastrointestinal tract.
- Forms of adenoviruses that do not cause disease are used in gene therapy.
- They carry genes that may fix defects in cells or kill cancer cells.
Virology[edit | edit source]
Adenoviruses are medium-sized (90-100 nm), non-enveloped icosohedral viruses with double-stranded DNA.
Types[edit | edit source]
More than 50 types of immunologically distinct adenoviruses can cause infections in humans.
Resistant to disinfectants[edit | edit source]
Adenoviruses are relatively resistant to common disinfectants and can be detected on surfaces, such as doorknobs, objects, and water of swimming pools and small lakes.
Pathophysiology[edit | edit source]
- Adenoviruses most commonly cause respiratory illness.
- The illnesses can range from the common cold to pneumonia, croup, and bronchitis.
- Depending on the type, adenoviruses can cause other illnesses such as gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis, cystitis, and, less commonly, neurological disease.
Immunocompromised[edit | edit source]
- People with weakened immune systems are at high risk for developing severe illness caused by adenovirus infection.
- Some people infected with adenoviruses, especially those who have weakened immune systems, can have ongoing infections in their tonsils, adenoids, and intestines that do not cause symptoms.
- They can shed the virus for weeks or longer.
Healthcare associated infection[edit | edit source]
To prevent healthcare-associated outbreaks of adenovirus infections, such as epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, health care providers should strictly follow infection control practices, including:
- contact and droplet precautions
- environmental cleaning
- promptly respond to and report clusters of cases
- For suspected cases of pneumonia caused by adenovirus infection, healthcare providers should follow the guidelines for preventing healthcare-associated pneumonia.
- Adenoviruses have historically been a common cause of acute respiratory illness in military recruits, although the frequency has significantly decreased since the reinstitution in March 2011 of adenovirus vaccine administration.
Infectivity[edit | edit source]
- Adenoviruses are resistant to many common disinfectants and can remain infectious for long periods on environmental surfaces and medical instruments.
- To prevent spread of adenoviruses use an EPA-registered disinfectant on surfaces that is effective at killing adenoviruses and compatible with the surfaces and equipment.
- Disinfectants effective against norovirus should also be effective against adenoviruses.
Prevention[edit | edit source]
There is no specific action to take to prevent AFM.
You can decrease risk of getting viral infections by:
- Washing hands often with soap and water
- Avoid touching face with unwashed hands
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or upper shirt sleeve, not hands
- Keeping sick children at home
Vaccination[edit | edit source]
- Currently, there is no adenovirus vaccine available for the general public.
- A live, oral vaccine against adenovirus types 4 and 7 is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for U.S. military personnel ages 17 through 50 who may be at higher risk for infection from these two adenovirus types.
- The vaccine is recommended by the U.S. Department of Defense for military recruits entering basic training in order to prevent acute respiratory disease.
- It may also be recommended for other military personnel at high risk for adenovirus infection.
Treatment[edit | edit source]
- There is no specific treatment for people with adenovirus infection.
- Most adenovirus infections are mild and don’t require any medical care; clinical care of adenovirus infections includes treatment of symptoms and complications.
- Cidofovir has been used to treat severe adenovirus infections in people with immunocompromised systems in specific situations, however there are no FDA-approved antiviral drugs for adenovirus treatment.
Adenovirus Resources | ||
---|---|---|
|
|
Translate to: East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Admin, Prab R. Tumpati, MD