Tag Archives: Adenovirus

Adenovirus

This one is new to me, and quite an interesting virus.

According to research, there are 55 different types of human adenovirus types numbered HAdV-1 to HAdV-55. Each of these types comes in seven different species from A through G. Different types of adenoviruses cause different types of sicknesses including fever, respiratory disease, conjunctivitis (pink eye), cystitis (bladder infection), and gastroenteritis. The sickness you contract depends on what type of adenovirus you are exposed to. For example, if you breathe in a certain type of adenovirus, you may get respiratory disease, but if you swallow adenovirus… Well, you can probably guess.

The type of adenovirus that is spread through food and water through the fecal-oral route is called Enteric adenovirus, or adenovirus occurring in the intestines. If you eat food that was prepared by someone with adenovirus who didn’t wash their hands properly, or swim in a pool that isn’t properly chlorinated, you could get this type of adenovirus. It causes (if you haven’t guessed already) gastroenteritis, which is also known as the bane of human existence: “the stomach flu.”

As many foodborne illnesses do, adenoviruses most often attack those with weakened immune systems, including elderly adults, pregnant women, and children. In fact, Enteric adenovirus is responsible for 5 to 20% of gastroenteritis in young children. Interestingly, however, 85% of children develop immunity to the disease by the time they are four years old. But of the remaining 15%, some have persistent adenovirus infections in their intestines. These people may not have symptoms, but the virus is shed for months—and even years!
– See more at: http://blog.statefoodsafety.com/adenovirus-dont-eat-drink-or-breathe/comment-page-1/#comment-162024