MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY OF ADENOVIRUSES ASSOCIATED WITH ACUTE LOWER RESPIRATORY-DISEASE OF CHILDREN IN BUENOS-AIRES, ARGENTINA (1984-1988)

DNA restriction analysis was carried out on a sample of 73 adenovirus strains isolated in Buenos Aires from nasopharyngeal aspirates of chil dren with lower acute respiratory infection between 1984 and 1988. Thi rty-five isolates (47.9%) were classified as members of subgenus B. Of these, three were identified as a new genome type of Ad3p denominated Ad3p3; five strains corresponded to genome type 7b and two to genome type 7c. The other 25 isolates were identified as the recently recogni zed genome type 7h. All 6 fatalities recorded within this group of 73 children were associated with infection by Adenovirus genome type 7h. Thirty-seven isolates (50.7%) were classified within subgenus C that c orresponded to 9 different genome types denominated 1p (n = 5); 1# (n = 2); 2p (n = 4); 2b (n = 6); 2# (n = 5); 5# (n = 4); 5 (n = 7) and 5 + (n = 2). All genome types of subgenus C were compared with the data reported by Adrian et al. (Archives of Virology 112:235-238,1990). The Ad1p and Ad1# genome types could be allocated to AV1 genome types Dl and D10, respectively. Ad2b genome type could be allocated to AV2 geno me type D25. No counterparts were found for the remaining 6 genomic va riants. Only one isolate was identified as Ad4a of subgenus E. The com parison of the results of the present study with those of the molecula r characterization of Chilean strains isolated between 1984 and 1987 s uggests that the adenovirus strains associated with respiratory diseas e of children may be common in both countries.