What you need to know about adenovirus infection

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Tran Quoc Vinh - Emergency Doctor - Department of Resuscitation - Emergency - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.

The body infected with the Adenovirus virus can have a number of diseases such as upper and lower respiratory tract infections, gastrointestinal infections, nerve infections and eye infections. Severe cases of viral illness can lead to death.

1. What is an adenovirus infection?

Adenovirus has at least 90 distinct viruses, and all age groups can contract this virus. Patients after being infected with adenovirus will have an incubation period of 5-6 days before the first symptoms appear.
The body becomes infected with adenovirus when exposed to a person with the virus or touching a surface or object that has adenovirus on it. Other routes of viral infection are inhalation of the virus in airborne droplets caused by coughing or sneezing by an infected person without covering their hands, or by contact with the hands of a person who has touched an already infected eye (conjunctiva) or nose. or phlegm. Adenovirus can be spread through the stool of an infected person with diarrhea.
Adenovirus can live up to 30 days on surfaces under normal environmental conditions. The virus has also been reported in unchlorinated water and causes conjunctivitis (pink eye) from swimming in this water.

2. Clinical syndrome of adenovirus infection

Infection with adenovirus (virus with more than 40 antigenic types) causes diverse clinical syndromes. People infected with the virus may not have any special symptoms or may recover on their own. Adenovirus infections are most common in infants, young children, or people living in military camps. Patients with liver, kidney, and bone marrow transplants may also be susceptible to this virus. Adenovirus has an incubation period of 4 - 9 days, after which the patient will manifest a number of overlapping clinical syndromes including:
Nasopharyngitis, fatigue due to cold infection and no fever yet. ; Non-streptococcal exudative pharyngitis: At this time, the patient will have a fever lasting from 2 to 12 days, accompanied by muscle pain, body fatigue. Sore throat is often manifested by diffuse congestion, with discharge spots, enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. Cough is sometimes accompanied by rales in the lungs, on X-ray there is a picture of pneumonia. Patients often have conjunctivitis; Fever - conjunctivitis: The patient has fever, fatigue, conjunctivitis (usually on one side) and mild pharyngitis; Conjunctivitis-conjunctivitis is a person-to-person transmission that is common in adults, manifested by unilateral conjunctival redness, eye pain, lacrimation, and enlarged lymph nodes in the pre-ear region. Keratitis leading to subepithelial opacities (especially those of type 8, 19, or 37); Acute hemorrhagic cystitis: A common childhood disease caused by adenovirus type 11; sexually transmitted urogenital ulcers and adenovirus urethritis types 2, 8 and 37; Acute gastroenteritis: Due to type 40, 41 causes intussusception and very rarely causes encephalitis, pericarditis.

3. Treatment of adenovirus infection

If the patient has a mild adenovirus infection, it may go away on its own without treatment. Treatment is mainly symptomatic. The supportive care measures that are highly effective in diseases caused by adenoviruses are known to be:
Reduce sore throat inflammation by gargling with salt water, possibly in combination with the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen). , diclofenac..), alphachymotripsin (alpha-choy) or lozenges such as: Dorithricin, Strepsils.. Reduce nasal secretions, reduce phlegm with saline nasal drops or H1 antihistamines such as: Cetirizine, loratadine, diphenhydramine. Reduce fever and pain, relieve aches and pains with Paracetamol, ibuprofen. Reducing wheezing and dyspnea in bronchitis: salbutamol, albuterol,. Physiological saline drops in conjunctivitis - ocular cornea, can be combined with small antibiotics when there is a bacterial superinfection: Neomycin, tobramycin. Antisecretory drugs, neutralize stomach acid in acute gastritis. Antispasmodics for pain relief: buscopan, averin citrate and urinary antiseptic methylene blue (Mistasol Blue) in hemorrhagic cystitis. Provides vitamins, especially vitamin C to help strengthen the immune system. If the patient has a mild adenovirus infection, it may go away on its own without treatment. Highly effective supportive care measures for diseases caused by adenoviruses are known to be:
Reducing nasal secretions with saline and suction. Use hypertonic saline or albuterol to clear nasal congestion. In case people infected with adenovirus have severe illness, even risk of death due to respiratory failure, weakened immune system, severe digestive complications, they should be treated with anti-adenoviral drugs such as cidofovir. Continue to monitor viral laboratory testing to monitor response to treatment.
Measures to prevent adenovirus infection Frequent hand washing is the top measure advised by health professionals. When hands are not washed, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. Regularly clean the surfaces of frequently used items with cleaning products. During the epidemic season, people infected with the virus should be taken to a hospital for treatment and isolation, or if symptoms are mild, they should stay at home, not to crowded places, to avoid spreading the virus to the community.
Vaccines against a number of adenoviruses (serotypes 4 and 7) have now been developed, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.