Related Experiment Videos
Faecal adenoviruses from Glasgow babies. Studies on culture and identity
Insights
Researchers isolated adenoviruses from infant stool samples, finding prolonged shedding and new serotypes. This study advances understanding of pediatric adenovirus infections.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Adenoviruses are common viral pathogens in children.
- Electron microscopy is a valuable tool for detecting viral particles in clinical samples.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and characterize adenoviruses from infant stool samples.
- To investigate the shedding patterns and serotypes of adenoviruses in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 159 stool specimens from 71 children.
- Virus isolation attempts using standard cell cultures.
- Characterization of fastidious adenoviruses via passage in Chang conjunctival cell culture.
Main Results:
- Adenoviruses were isolated from 81 stool samples.
- Prolonged shedding of established adenovirus serotypes was frequently observed.
- A previously unrecognized adenovirus serotype was identified in 14 children.
Conclusions:
- Adenovirus shedding in infants can be prolonged and involve multiple serotypes.
- Standard cell culture methods may not detect all pediatric adenoviruses.
- The identification of a new serotype highlights the diversity of adenoviruses in children.
Abstract:
Attempts were made to isolate viruses from babies' stools that contained adenoviruses detected by electron microscopy. One hundred and fifty-nine specimens from 71 children were studied and adenoviruses of established serotypes were isolated from 81 stools. Serial stool samples containing adenovirus particles were obtained from 35 children, and prolonged shedding of recognized serotypes was common. Simultaneous and sequential infections by different serotypes were also observed. Thirty-six children shed adenoviruses that could not be isolated using cell cultures normally used to detect adenoviruses, and nine of these children also shed adenoviruses of established serotypes. Passage in Chang conjunctival cell culture allowed characterization of fastidious adenoviruses from 14 children as members of a previously unrecognized serotype.