Molecular and epidemiological study of human adenovirus among infants with diarrhea in Nanjing

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence, clinic features and epidemiologic characteristics of human adenovirus diarrhea in Nanjing. METHODS: 730 stool specimens were collected from children with diarrhea in Nanjing Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from June 2009 to June 2011. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to detect human adenovirus. The total positive PCR products were typed by nest-PCR or multiple PCR. RESULTS: 21 samples (21/730) were positive for human adenovirus of all 730 samples from June 2009 to June 2011 and enteric HAdV-41 is the predominant stain. CONCLUSION: Enteric HAdV-41 and non-enteric adenovirus were the major etiological agents of viral diarrhea among infants and children in Nanjing from 2009 to 2011. We should take the long-term systematic surveillance seriously.