Related Experiment Videos
An outbreak of adenovirus type 7 infection in children in Montreal
Insights
Adenovirus type 7 causes severe respiratory illness in infants and children, leading to pneumonia and respiratory failure. This infection has a high mortality rate and does not respond to antibiotics or bronchodilators.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Respiratory virology
- Critical care medicine
Background:
- Adenovirus infections can cause significant respiratory illness in children.
- Adenovirus type 7 (Ad7) is a known respiratory pathogen, but its clinical spectrum and outcomes in severe cases require further characterization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical presentation, radiologic findings, treatment response, and outcomes of adenovirus type 7 infection in infants and children.
- To characterize the pathological features of severe adenovirus type 7 pneumonia.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case series of 13 infants and children with confirmed adenovirus type 7 infection.
- Clinical data, radiologic findings, treatment interventions, and pathological examination were reviewed.
Main Results:
- Common symptoms included high fever, cough, and dyspnea; wheezing was frequent in infants under 1 year.
- Radiologic findings showed lobar collapse, consolidation, and hyperinflation. Four patients required mechanical ventilation.
- Three patients died, resulting in a 23% mortality rate. Pathological findings revealed necrotizing bronchitis/bronchiolitis and pneumonia with characteristic viral inclusions.
Conclusions:
- Adenovirus type 7 can cause severe, life-threatening pneumonia in young children, necessitating intensive care.
- The infection is unresponsive to antibiotics and bronchodilators, highlighting the need for specific antiviral therapies.
- Long-term respiratory sequelae were uncommon in survivors.
Abstract:
Thirteen infants and children with adenovirus type 7 infection proved by virus isolation are described. High fever, cough and dyspnea were the most frequent findings; in infants under 1 year of age wheezing was common. Four patients required artificial ventilation. Lobar collapse, consolidation and hyperinflation were frequent radiologic findings. None of the symptoms responded to antibiotic therapy or bronchodilator drugs. Three patients died (mortality rate of 23%). Pathologic findings were compatible with adenovirus type 7 pneumonia, and were characterized by a necrotizing bronchitis and bronchiolitis, patchy alveolar fibrinopurulent exudate and hyaline membrane formation. Some intra-alveolar epithelial cells showed strikingly abnormal nuclei and rare typical halo-outlined intranuclear inclusions were seen. Only one of eight survivors had evidence of significant chronic chest disease.