ENTERIC ADENOVIRUS INFECTION IN INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN WITH ACUTE GASTROENTERITIS IN TEHRAN

Adenoviruses are one of the most important etiological agents of serious gastroenteritis among infants and young children. Fecal specimens from patients with an acute gastroenteritis were evaluated for the presence of adenovirus (Ad40, 41) from April 2002 to February 2004. During the study, 1052 samples were collected from children under the age of 5 years in six educational and therapeutic pediatric centers. The specimens were tested for adenovirus (Ad40, 41) by EIA technique in the Virology Department of Pasteur Institute of Iran. Adenoviruses (Ad40, 41) were detected from 27(2.6%) samples, but were not detected in 150 samples of healthy control group. In this study the highest rate of adenovirus was found in children aged 6 to 12 months (40.7%), but the male to female ratio inpatients was approximately equal. Adenovirus (Ad40, 41) infections peaked in the winter as 48.1% was detected from December to March. There were a statistically significant difference between age and infection (P < 0.001), also between season with adenovirus (Ad40, 41) infection (P = 0.005). Breast-feeding had a protective action against adenovirus (Ad40, 41) infection. This study revealed that enteric adenovirus (Ad40, 41) is an etiological agent of acute gastroenteritis among children in Tehran