Adenoviruses cause acute respiratory disease (usually), pneumonia (occasionally), acute follicular conjunctivitis, epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, cystitis, and gastroenteritis (occasionally). In infants, pharyngitis and pharyngeal-conjunctival fever are common
Adenoviruses are frequent infections that affect both humans and animals. Furthermore, a number of strains are employed as instruments in mammalian molecular biology and have been the focus of extensive study. There are now over 100 serologically different adenovirus types known to exist, 49 of which are human-pathogenic. The two genera that make up the family Adenoviridae are the avian adenoviruses (aviadenoviruses) and the mammalian adenoviruses (mastadenoviruses). The human adenoids from whence the adenoviruses were originally isolated gave rise to their namesake.
It might be difficult to diagnose an infection using only clinical criteria since adenoviruses can cause a wide range of clinical symptoms and non-specific presentations. PCR, virus isolation, serology, and antigen detection can all be used in a laboratory setting to provide a diagnosis. Typically, hemagglutination-inhibition, neutralization using type-specific antisera, or molecular techniques are used for adenovirus typing. The primary antigens implicated in the host immune response are group-specific antigen epitopes found inside hexons, which are shared by all mammalian adenoviruses. Most commercial immunoassays can identify most Adenovirus serotypes in nasopharyngeal secretions or stool specimens by identifying the common hexon antigens. To determine the use of antiviral medications, rule out other diseases that can be treated, determine a prognosis, and start infection control, confirmation of an adenovirus infection is crucial.