Detection of adenoviruses (AdV) in culture-negative environmental samples by PCR during an AdV-associated respiratory disease outbreak

Since 1954, adenoviruses (AdV) have been recognized as an important cause o f acute respiratory disease (ARD) among U.S. military recruits. Until recen tly, routine oral vaccination for AdV serotypes 4 and 7 eliminated epidemic AdV-associated ARD in this population. Now that the manufacturer has cease d production, vaccination has ended and AdV epidemics have reappeared, As p art of a prospective epidemiological study during the high-risk ARD season, serial samples were obtained from ventilation system filters and tested fo r AdV by culture and PCR, An outbreak occurred during this surveillance. Of 59 air filters, 26 (44%) were AdV positive only by PCR Sequence analysis c onfirmed the presence of AdV serotype 4, the implicated outbreak serotype. The number of AdV-related hospitalizations was directly correlated with the proportion of filters containing AdV; correlation coefficients were 0.86 ( Pearson) and 0.90 (Spearman's rho), This is the first report describing a P CR method to detect airborne AdV during an ARD outbreak. It suggests that t his technique can detect and quantify AdV-associated ARD exposure and may e nable further definition of environmental effects on AdV-associated ARD spr ead.