Epidemiology of human adenovirus and molecular characterization of human adenovirus 55 in China, 2009–2012

Lu, Qing-Bin; Tong, Yi-Gang; Wo, Ying; Wang, Hong-Yu; Liu, En-Mei; Gray, Gregory C; Liu, Wei; Cao, Wu-Chun

In the United States, HAdV strains of low type number are highly prevalent among children with HAdV-3, and HAdV-7, a frequent cause of outbreaks. 18, 19 Recently, novel recombination strains, including HAdV-55 and HAdV-14p1, have been evolved from a recombination of HAdV-11 and HAdV-14 ancestral strains. 20 In Asia, the prevalence of HAdV has ranged from 0Á8% to 11Á30% among patients with ARTI. 21, 22 In the past, HAdV-3 and HAdV-7 strains have been the most prevalent HAdV types. 1, 23 However, recent outbreaks have also documented high prevalence of HAdV-5 [24] [25] [26] [27] and HAdV-55. [7] [8] [9] [10] Our study provides further evidence that HAdV-55 is likely routinely circulating among Chinese children. In this hospital surveillance study, we documented six hospitalized patients with HAdV-55 infection. Our whole genome sequence data confirm the relatedness of our HAdV-55 isolates with HAdV-14, which classically has caused outbreaks (sometimes with severe disease) in various regions of North America, 18 Europe, 28 , and Asia. 10 Our HAdV-55infected patients had severe or protracted pneumonia as well as toxic encephalopathy. [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] However, whether HAdV-55 was responsible for the clinical manifestation cannot be determined, because 5 of the 6 patients with human HAdV-55 infections had also been coinfected with other pathogens.