Adenoviruses
Adenoviruses are any of a
group of DNA viruses first discovered in adenoid tissue, most of which cause
respiratory diseases.
Adenoviruses can cause a
wide range of illnesses such as
common cold or flu-like
symptoms
fever
sore throat
acute bronchitis
(inflammation of the airways of the lungs, sometimes called a “chest cold”)
pneumonia (infection of the
lungs)
pink eye (conjunctivitis)
acute gastroenteritis
(inflammation of the stomach or intestines causing diarrhea, vomiting, nausea
and stomach pain)
Less common symptoms of
adenovirus infection include
bladder inflammation or
infection
neurologic disease
(conditions that affect the brain and spinal cord)
Adenoviruses can cause mild
to severe illness, though serious illness is less common. People with weakened
immune systems, or existing respiratory or cardiac disease, are at higher risk
of developing severe illness from an adenovirus infection.
Transmission
Adenoviruses are usually
spread from an infected person to others through
close personal contact, such
as touching or shaking hands
the air by coughing and
sneezing
touching an object or
surface with adenoviruses on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before
washing your hands
Some adenoviruses can spread
through an infected person’s stool, for example, during diaper changing.
Adenovirus can also spread through the water, such as swimming pools, but this
is less common.
Sometimes the virus can be
shed (released from the body) for a long time after a person recovers from an
adenovirus infection, especially among people who have weakened immune systems.
This “virus shedding” usually occurs without any symptoms, even though the
person can still spread adenovirus to other people.
Prevention
There is currently no
adenovirus vaccine available to the general public. There is a vaccine for adenovirus types 4 and
7 that is used in military personnel who may be at higher risk for infection
from these two adenovirus types. This vaccine contains live virus that can be
shed in stool and potentially cause disease in other people if transmitted. The
safety and effectiveness of this vaccine has not been studied in the general
population or in people with weakened immune systems, and it is not approved
for use outside of the military. For
more information about the vaccine, see Adenovirus Vaccine Information
Statement (VIS).
Follow simple steps to
protect yourself and others
You can protect yourself and
others from adenoviruses and other respiratory illnesses by following a few
simple steps:
Wash your hands often with
soap and water for at least 20 seconds (see CDC’s Clean Hands Save Lives! ).
Avoid touching your eyes,
nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with
people who are sick.
If you’re sick you can help
protect others:
Stay home when you are sick.
Cough and sneeze into a
tissue or your upper shirt sleeve, not your hands.
Avoid sharing cups and
eating utensils with others.
Refrain from kissing others.
Wash your hands often with
soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom. Washing hands helps protect yourself from
getting sick, as well as others if your are sick.
Frequent handwashing is
especially important in childcare settings and healthcare facilities.
Maintain proper chlorine
levels to prevent outbreaks
It is important to keep
adequate levels of chlorine in swimming pools to prevent outbreaks of
conjunctivitis caused by adenoviruses. CDC’s Healthy Swimming website provides
more information on how to maintain healthy and safe swimming environments.
Treatment
There is no specific
treatment for people with adenovirus infection. Most adenovirus infections are
mild and may require only care to help relieve symptoms, such as
over-the-counter pain medicines or fever reducers. Always read the label and
use medications as directed. There are no approved antiviral medicines for
adenovirus infections.
Jan Ricks Jennings, MHA,
LFACHE
Senior Consultant
Senior Management
Services
JanJenningsBlog.Blogspot.com
412.913.0636 Cell
724.733.0509 Office
April 9, 2022
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