What is an adenovirus?


Adenoviruses can cause a variety of diseases in humans, from the common cold to gastrointestinal infections to the red eye.


 

 

 

 

 

 

This computer image shows an adenovirus.

This computer image shows an adenovirus. (Photo Credit: CATERYNA KON / Library Picture Science with Getty Pictures)

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What is an adenovirus?

Symptoms of Adenovirus

Diagnosis and treatment of Adenovirus

Adenovirus drugs?

Vaccines made by adenoviruses

Adenoviruses are a family of viruses that can cause a variety of illnesses in humans, from the common cold to gastrointestinal infections to the red eye. And more recently, scientists have used these viruses as the basis for several COVID-19 vaccines, including those produced by Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca.


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WHAT IS ADENOVIRUS?

There are 88 types of adenovirus known to infect humans, and these are classified into seven different types, A to G, according to a 2019 report in Scientific Reports magazine. Bacteria roam all year round, which means they do not show as strong a season as flu viruses, for example. Additional adenoviruses infect a wide variety of invertebrates, including mammals, birds, reptiles and fish from time to time, according to a 2019 report in FEBS Letters magazine.


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In humans, adenovirus infection often causes respiratory symptoms, but in some cases, the virus can cause serious infections; people with compromised immune systems, existing respiratory diseases or heart disease face a higher risk of serious infections than others, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).


There are no publicly available antiretroviral drugs that prevent adenovirus infection, although the only available vaccine is sometimes given to U.S. military, according to the CDC. (This vaccine works against 4 type adenoviruses, which are considered to be type E, and then type three adenoviruses, which fall under type B.)


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That means scientists have used adenoviruses to modify other vaccines, such as those that protect COVID-19. These mutated viruses can no longer infect human cells, but instead act as a vaccine.


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SYMPTOMS OF ADENOVIRUS

Adenovirus infection can cause cold symptoms or a cold, flu and sore throat, according to the CDC. They can also cause pink eye, or conjunctivitis; inflammation of the airways of the lungs, called acute bronchitis; pneumonia, lung infection; and inflammation of the stomach or intestines, known as acute gastroenteritis. Intestinal infections lead to diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain.


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Unusually, adenoviruses can cause urinary tract infections, bladder inflammation or even neurologic infections that affect the spine and brain.



Related: Nine most deadly germs in the world


Adenoviruses are spread among humans through close contact, as well as in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. People can also pick up the virus in dirty areas and become infected by touching their mouth, eyes or nose before washing their hands. Some types of adenovirus can be transmitted through an infected person's stool, and rarely, the virus can spread to water, such as swimming pools. (Outbreaks can be avoided with adequate levels of chlorine in lakes, the CDC says.)


You can reduce the spread of adenoviruses by washing your hands regularly with soap and water; do not touch your face with unwashed hands; and to avoid close contact with sick people. If you are sick, you can help prevent the spread by staying home, washing your hands often and coughing and sneezing the muscles or your upper arm, rather than your hands. And an infected person should also avoid close contact with others and make sure he or she does not share dishes or cups with other people.


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HOW IS ADENOVIRUS REPORTED AND TREATED?

Adenovirus infection can be detected using experimental clinical trials in a patient's sample, or by detecting certain viral-derived substances, called antigens, according to the CDC. These diagnostic methods may include antigen testing; polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which detect viral genes; separation of the virus, in which the samples are grown in a lab bowl; and serology, using blood samples.


Some people may be able to "remove" adenovirus particles weeks after their infection; that means that sometimes, even if a person is diagnosed with adenovirus, it may not be the cause of the person's current symptoms. Physicians can perform additional tests to rule out other diseases, according to the CDC.


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There are no specific treatments for adenovirus infections, and many cause mild symptoms and do not require treatment at all. When treatment is needed, doctors prescribe medication to relieve symptoms. Antiviral cidofovir has sometimes been used to treat severe adenovirus infection in people with weakened immune systems, but it has not been approved for use, according to the CDC.


DO ADENOVIRUS VACCINES EXIST?

An adenovirus outbreak in the military has led the U.S. Department of Defense. To start vaccinating employees in the war against the two types of the virus in 1971, according to Medscape.


When vaccine production stopped in 1996, for economic reasons, adenovirus cases in the war increased, as the virus easily spread to nearby areas. This resurgence of adenovirus led to the recurrence of the vaccine among employees in 2011, reports Medscape. The vaccine prevents an estimated 15,000 cases of adenovirus infection in U.S. military recruits, according to the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity.


A recent study, published in 2018 in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, looked at adenovirus

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