ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Adenovirus infections are endemic in the general population and frequently cause acute respiratory infections, which are usually self-limiting. However, in the immunocompromised host, especially in children, adenoviruses have been increasingly recognised as important pathogens. Adenoviral infections may cause severe disease with a high morbidity and mortality rate. No specific antiviral therapy of proven value currently exists for severe adenovirus infection. It is important to detect adenovirus at an early stage to start with antiviral agents before adenoviral disease develops. Therefore, new rapid and sensitive methods for detection of adenoviruses as real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction have been developed. Due to the increasing knowledge of the immune response to adenovirus, adoptive immunotherapy could play an important role in the treatment of adenoviral infections in the near future. Until today, vaccination strategies to prevent adenoviral infections in high risk populations have not been successful.
