Detection of adenovirus infection among children with acute respiratory disease during 2010-2012 in Shiraz, Iran

Background: Acute viral respiratory infection (ARVI) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality especially in pediatric patients. Among important respiratory pathogens, adenovirus is a most prevalent cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infection. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of adenovirus infection in pediatric patients with respiratory symptoms. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out from November 2010 to February 2012. An in-house nested-PCR was used to detect adenovirus in nasopharyngeal swabs from 328 children, aged 19 years or younger, with acute upper respiratory tract symptoms referred to the hospitals affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Results: Adenovirus was detected in 22% of 328 nasopharyngeal swabs and the highest rate of hospitalization (74%) due to ARVI associated with fever, cough and muscular ache was found in children older than five years. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that acute respiratory infection due to adenovirus in Shiraz mostly occur during November to February. In contrast to other studies, adenovirus infection was more prevalent in children aged older than 5 years.