Adenovirus type 3 infection with systemic manifestation in apparently normal children

Between July 1983 and February 1984, eight children with adenovirus Type 3 infection, proven by virus isolation from sputum, stool or nasopharyngeal swabs and a fourfold increase in complement fixation antibody titers against the virus, were treated in our department. All eight patients had fever lasting at least 7 days, hepatomegaly, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates and abnormal liver function tests. Seven of the patients exhibited dyspnea and pulmonary wheezing. Six of the patients developed changes in state of consciousness, and three had repeated convulsions. EEG patterns in three of the patients were compatible with encephalopathy. Other clinical manifestations included: follicular tonsillitis in two patients, diarrhea in two, pneumothorax in one, and shock with disseminated intravascular coagulation in one. The spectrum of adenovirus Type 3 infection reported here has been described previously only in the viral hemorrhagic fevers. This adenovirus Type 3 infection shares the potential for disseminated disease that has been described previously for Type 7, simulating Reye's syndrome.