They commonly cause upper and lower respiratory infections, gastroenteritis, and conjunctivitis. Morphologically, they have an icosahedral capsid with rod-like projections that end in knob-like structures. These projections are important for attachment to the host surface (similar to bacterial pili). These projections are hemagglutinins. Infected cells show intranuclear inclusions. Because they are non-enveloped, they are not killed by ether, alcohols, etc. They may become latent in tonsillar tissue.
Clinical features: Most commonly, they cause cold-like symptoms, pharyngitis, and pharyngoconjunctival fever (a syndrome of fever, pharyngitis, conjunctivitis, and lymphadenopathy). They can also cause epidemic conjunctivitis, atypical pneumonia, acute hemorrhagic cystitis, and gastroenteritis. Types 8 and 19 cause epidemic keratoconjunctivitis; types 4, 7, and 21 cause respiratory disease; types 40 and 41 cause diarrhea; and types 11 and 21 cause hemorrhagic cystitis.
Laboratory diagnosis of Adenovirus infections: Diagnosis is made by direct immunofluorescence of nasopharyngeal aspirates, culture on HeLa and Hep 2 cell lines, hemagglutination tests, and serological tests such as CFT, RIA, and haemagglutination inhibition assays.
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