Molecular epidemiology of adenovirus infection among infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in Dhaka City, Bangladesh

A total of 917 fecal specimens collected from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in Dhaka City, Bangladesh during 2004–2005 were examined for the presence of adenoviruses by PCR. Adenoviruses were identified in 17 of 917 (1.9%) specimens. Detected adenoviruses were subjected to molecular genetic analysis by sequencing method. Adenoviruses detected in this study were classified into three serotypes, namely Ad9, Ad10 and Ad40. Of these, Ad40 was predominant, followed by Ad9 and accounted for 42% (7 of 17) and 36% (6 of 17), respectively. This is the first report of acute gastroenteritis attributed to Ad9 and Ad10 in Dhaka City, Bangladesh. Another interesting feature of the study was absence of Ad41 serotype. Our results clearly indicated that adenovirus infections were most commonly observed in winter season (October 2004 through January 2005) and in rainy season (May 2005 through July 2005) in Dhaka City. The most common clinical symptoms of adenovirus-infected patients were dehydration (94%), abdominal pain (59%) and vomiting (30%). To our knowledge, this is the first 1-year molecular epidemiological research of adenovirus infection in Bangladesh.