Reassessment of High Prevalence Human Adenovirus Detections Among Residents of Two Refugee Centers in Kenya Under Surveillance for Acute Respiratory Infections.

Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) were previously detected at high prevalence by real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) in the upper respiratory tract of residents of two Kenyan refugee camps under surveillance for acute respiratory illness (ARI) between October 2006 and April 2008. We sought to confirm this finding and characterize the HAdVs detected. Of 2148 respiratory specimens originally tested, 511 (23.8%) screened positive for HAdV and 510 were available for retesting. Of these, 421 (82.4%) were confirmed positive by repeat rRT-PCR or PCR and sequencing. Other respiratory viruses were co-detected in 55.8% of confirmed HAdV-positive specimens. Species B and C viruses predominated at 82.8% and HAdV-C1, -C2, and -B3 were the most commonly identified types. Species A, D and F HAdVs, that are rarely associated with ARI, comprised the remainder. Viral loads were highest among species B HAdVs, particularly HAdV-B3. Species C showed the widest range of viral loads and species A, D and F were most often present at low loads and more often with co-detections. These findings suggest that many HAdV detections were incidental and not a primary cause of ARI among camp patients. Species/type, co-detections and viral load determinations may permit more accurate HAdV disease burden estimates in these populations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.