Week 3

 Adenovirus

Adenoviruses are a group of viruses that can cause mild to severe infection throughout your body. Adenovirus is a common virus that can cause a range of cold- or flu-like infections. Researchers have identified about 50 types of adenoviruses that can infect humans (Adenovirus, 2024). It most commonly affects respiratory system.

Symptoms

These infections can cause symptoms similar to the common cold or flu such as:

- Cough 

- Fever 

- Runny nose

- Sore throat (pharyngitis)

- Pink eye (conjunctivitis)

- Ear infection (otitis media)

- Swollen lymph nodes

- Bronchitis

- Pneumonia

- Acute gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach or intestines causing diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain)

Risk Group & Prevention

Adenoviruses can affect people of all ages. But they’re most common in children younger than 5 years old.

The CDC (2024) states that adenoviruses are typically spread through close personal contact, coughing and sneezing, touching an infected surface, touching the person's stool during diaper changing, and swimming pools, although this is less common. The spread of adenoviruses is facilitated by various factors.

Maintain good hygiene by using EPA-registered disinfectants that kill adenovirus and norovirus. Cleaner air is crucial for respiratory virus prevention, especially in childcare and healthcare settings, and frequent handwashing is essential.

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About adenovirus. (2024, November 1). CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/adenovirus/about/index.html

Adenovirus. (2024, December 13). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23022-adenovirus

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