Abrupt Emergence of Diverse Species B Adenoviruses at US Military Recruit Training Centers

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases 2007-11, Vol.196 (10), p.1465-1473
• Main Authors: Metzgar, David, Osuna, Miguel, Kajon, Adriana E., Hawksworth, Anthony W., Irvine, Marina, Russell, Kevin L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenovirus Infections, Human - epidemiology; Adenovirus Infections, Human - prevention & control; Adenovirus Infections, Human - virology; Adenoviruses; Adenoviruses, Human - classification; Adenoviruses, Human - genetics; Adenoviruses, Human - isolation & purification; Adult respiratory distress syndrome; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - epidemiology; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - prevention & control; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - virology; Diseases; DNA Primers; DNA, Viral - analysis; Genomes; Humans; Infections; Military Personnel - statistics & numerical data; Military recruitment; Military training; Neutralization Tests; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Prevalence; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases - epidemiology; Respiratory Tract Diseases - prevention & control; Respiratory Tract Diseases - virology; United States - epidemiology; Vaccination; Viruses
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/522970

Background. Adenoviruses (Ads) cause continuous outbreaks of acute respiratory disease (ARD) in US military training facilities. In 1996, the loss of vaccines targeting the dominant recruit-associated serotypes precipitated the reemergence of Ads in these populations. Between 1999 and 2002, serotype 4 accounted for >95% of Ads isolated from recruits and for >50% of ARD cases in training facilities (15,000 cases/year). Methods. Ads (n = 1867) collected between 2002 and 2006 from recruits with ARD at 8 military training facilities in the United States were serotyped by serum neutralization and polymerase chain reaction. Results. The dominance of Ad4 continued through 2005, followed by a simultaneous emergence of diverse species B serotypes at the majority of sites. This included the subspecies B1 serotypes 3, 7, and 21 and the subspecies B2 serotype 14. Ad14 was the most prevalent species B serotype, appearing in high numbers at 3 sites and becoming dominant at 1. Conclusions. Subspecies B2 Ads have rarely been associated with ARD, and only in Eurasia. This survey represents the first report of AdB2-associated ARD in the Western Hemisphere. The simultaneous emergence of several species B Ads suggests a common external source (the civilian population) and a decrease in preexisting immunity to species B Ads.