Outbreak of acute respiratory infection among infants in Lisbon, Portugal, caused by human adenovirus serotype 3 and a new 7/3 recombinant strain

J Clin Microbiol. 2010 Apr;48(4):1391-6. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02019-09. Epub 2010 Feb 10.

Abstract

Human adenoviruses (AdVs) typically cause mild illnesses in otherwise healthy hosts. We investigated a pediatric outbreak of acute respiratory infection with fatal outcomes that occurred in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2004. Biological specimens were collected from 83 children attending two nurseries, a kinesiotherapy clinic, and the household of a nanny. Adenovirus infection was confirmed in 48 children by PCR and virus isolation. Most (96%) isolates were classified as being of subspecies B1. Phylogenetic analysis of fiber and hexon gene sequences revealed that most infants were infected with AdV serotype 3 (AdV3) strains. Infants attending one nursery harbored a new recombinant strain containing an AdV serotype 7 hexon and serotype 3 fiber (AdV7/3). Both the AdV3 and the AdV7/3 strains caused fatal infections. Two different serotype 3 strains were circulating in Lisbon in 2004, and the new AdV7/3 recombinant type originated from only one of those strains. These results demonstrate that recombination leads to the emergence of new adenovirus strains with epidemic and lethal potential.

MeSH terms

  • Adenoviridae Infections / epidemiology*
  • Adenoviridae Infections / virology
  • Adenoviruses, Human / classification
  • Adenoviruses, Human / genetics
  • Adenoviruses, Human / immunology
  • Adenoviruses, Human / isolation & purification*
  • Capsid Proteins / genetics
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cluster Analysis
  • DNA, Viral / chemistry
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Portugal / epidemiology
  • Recombination, Genetic
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / epidemiology*
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / virology
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

  • Capsid Proteins
  • DNA, Viral
  • hexon capsid protein, Adenovirus

Associated data

  • GENBANK/GQ922009
  • GENBANK/GQ922010
  • GENBANK/GQ922011
  • GENBANK/GQ922012
  • GENBANK/GQ922013
  • GENBANK/GQ922014
  • GENBANK/GQ922015
  • GENBANK/GQ922016
  • GENBANK/GQ922017
  • GENBANK/GQ922018
  • GENBANK/GQ922019
  • GENBANK/GQ922020
  • GENBANK/GQ922021
  • GENBANK/GQ922022
  • GENBANK/GQ922023
  • GENBANK/GQ922024
  • GENBANK/GQ922025
  • GENBANK/GQ922026
  • GENBANK/GQ922027
  • GENBANK/GQ922028
  • GENBANK/GQ922029
  • GENBANK/GQ922030
  • GENBANK/GQ922031
  • GENBANK/GQ922032
  • GENBANK/GQ922033
  • GENBANK/GQ922034
  • GENBANK/GQ922035
  • GENBANK/GQ922036
  • GENBANK/GQ922037
  • GENBANK/GQ922038
  • GENBANK/GQ922039
  • GENBANK/GQ922040
  • GENBANK/GQ922041
  • GENBANK/GQ922042
  • GENBANK/GQ922043
  • GENBANK/GQ922044
  • GENBANK/GQ922045
  • GENBANK/GQ922046
  • GENBANK/GQ922047
  • GENBANK/GQ922048
  • GENBANK/GQ922049
  • GENBANK/GQ922050
  • GENBANK/GQ922051