Molecular epidemiology of enteric adenovirus (Ad 40 and Ad 41)

Nineteen strains of fecal adenoviris were typed as Ad 40 by restriction enzyme analysis of the DNA using Sma I. The DNA of the strains was further compared by digestion with four other enzymes, namely Hind III, Eco RI, Bgl I, and Bam HI. Only two different DNA patterns were found to exist for Bam HI. Seventeen of the 19 strains studied showed the same profiles for all the enzymes, within the limits of resolution technique. The two other strains were genome variants, which could be distinguished from the common genome type by digestion of the DNA with Bam HI. Thirteen strains of fecal adenovirus were typed as Ad 41 by restriction enzyme analysis of the DNA using Sma I. The DNA of the strains was further compared by digestion with four other enzymes used for Ad 40. At least two different DNA profiles were found to exist for each enzyme. Nine of 13 strains were shown to have the same cleavage sites for enzymes Sma I. Hind III, Eco RI, Bam HI, and Bgl I. The two other strains were genome variants, which deviated from the common genome on digestion of the DNA with Hind III. One strain were genome variant, which deviated from the common genome on digestion of the DNA with Hind III and Eco RI. Only one of the 13 strains had a DNA pattern which was not identical to other strains on digestion of the DNA with Sma I. All 13 Ad 41 strains studied were clearly distinguished from Ad 40 strains with any of the 5 restrriction enzymes.