PEDIATRIC ADENOVIRUS INFECTION: CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND OUTCOMES

Human adenoviruses can infect individuals of any age but are most prevalent in children, particularly infants and young children. Most children experience at least one adenovirus infection by the age of 10. Symptoms often resemble the common cold, including runny nose, fever, cough, and sore throat. More severe lower respiratory tract infections—such as bronchitis, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia—can occur and may be life-threatening. Adenoviruses can also lead to conjunctivitis, gastroenteritis, cystitis, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, and meningoencephalitis. Recent advances in structural and molecular biology have refined adenovirus taxonomy and deepened our insight into the range of associated clinical diseases. Given the broad and complex spectrum of illnesses linked to adenovirus infection, this review focuses primarily on basic virology, epidemiology, and clinicopathological correlations. Since clinical symptoms and pathological findings are inherently connected, examining these relationships within specific adenovirus-related disease entities provides a clearer understanding of this common pediatric viral infection.