Adenovirus

Definition

Adenoviruses were originally isolated as etiologic agents for upper respiratory infections. Their name is derived from the initial observation that primary cell explants from human adenoids were found to degenerate secondary to the infection by an, at the time, unknown virus. According to the current official taxonomy, there are four adenovirus genera (Mastadenovirus, Atadenovirus, Aviadenovirus, and Siadenovirus), indicating that adenovirus is widely distributed in vertebrates. More than 50 human serotypes have been identified. The individual serotypes are distinguished by different parameters such as immunological properties, tumorigenicity, and DNA sequence. Some serotypes may cause more serious infectious diseases such as epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, gastroenteritis, or hemorrhagic cystitis. The adenoviral particle is composed of an outer icosahedral protein capsid with an inner linear double-stranded DNA genome of approximately 36 kilobases (kb) in size. There are 11...