Gene

Molecular epidemiology

Intensive care medicine

Biology

Developing country

Adenovirus infection

Diarrhea

Virology

Acute gastroenteritis

Economics

Biochemistry

Environmental health

Immunology

Pediatrics

Norovirus

Diarrheal disease

Genotyping

Genotype

Internal medicine

Epidemiology

Medicine

Economic growth

Virus

Low and middle income countries

Disease

Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases

Purpose of review To review the roles of enteric adenovirus types 40 and 41 and nonenteric adenoviruses in the global burden of pediatric diarrhea. Recent findings Large studies using highly sensitive, type-specific molecular diagnostics have demonstrated a substantial and previously under-estimated burden of pediatric diarrheal disease because of enteric infections with adenovirus types 40/41. However, the true epidemiology of adenovirus 40/41 remains incompletely understood. Similarly, additional adenovirus types may also be implicated as agents of community-acquired pediatric gastroenteritis but current data are too limited to elucidate their epidemiological role(s), if any. Summary Efforts at global diarrhea control in low-income and middle-income countries will require combating pediatric gastroenteritis because of enteric adenovirus infections. Future research in these settings using type-specific molecular diagnostics or strain genotyping to fully characterize the epidemiology of adenovirus 40/41 infections, identify non-40/41 adenoviruses significantly associated with gastroenteritis, and develop vaccines effective at preventing adenovirus diarrhea is warranted.

Pediatric acute gastroenteritis associated with adenovirus 40/41 in low-income and middle-income countries