Adenovirus Infections

Also known as: adenovirus.

What are adenovirus infections?

Adenoviruses are a group of common contagious viruses that most often infect children 6 months to 2 years, causing fever with mild respiratory (breathing) diseases like the common “cold”, infection of the eyes (conjunctivitis), croup, bronchitis, bronchiolitis with wheezing, and pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs) in spring/early summer or winter; and less commonly intestinal, genitourinary, or neurological disease.

What causes adenovirus infections?

The adenovirus infects children through contact with an infected person's respiratory secretions (cough or sneezing), other infected material, or by mouth from either poor hand hygiene or contaminated water/food.

What are the symptoms of adenovirus infections?

Common respiratory symptoms include sore throats, severe cough, trouble breathing, runny nose, irritated eyes and fever (symptoms similar to the common “cold”). Intestinal symptoms include watery diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal tenderness and swelling.

What are adenovirus infections care options?

There is no specific treatment for adenovirus infections. Care includes supportive care (rest, fluids etc.), bronchodilators to open the air passages (in severe cases oxygen and sometimes assistance with breathing/mechanical ventilation), and other medications as needed.


Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: September 09, 2019 03:19 PM