About Adenovirus

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Key points

  • Adenoviruses are common and typically cause mild cold or flu-like symptoms.
  • Adenoviruses can cause illness in people of all ages any time of year.
  • People with weakened immune systems or existing respiratory or cardiac disease are at higher risk of developing severe illness from adenovirus.
Adenovirus

Symptoms

Adenoviruses can cause a wide range of signs and symptoms, such as:

  • common cold or flu-like symptoms
  • fever
  • sore throat
  • acute bronchitis (inflammation of the airways of the lungs, sometimes called a "chest cold")
  • pneumonia (infection of the lungs)
  • pink eye (conjunctivitis)
  • acute gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach or intestines causing diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain)

Less common symptoms include:

  • bladder inflammation or infection
  • neurologic disease (conditions that affect the brain and spinal cord)

How it spreads

Adenoviruses are usually spread from an infected person to others through:

  • close personal contact, such as shaking hands
  • the air, by coughing and sneezing
  • touching an object or surface with adenoviruses on it, and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands
  • an infected person's stool (e.g., during diaper changing)
  • water, such as swimming pools without adequate chlorine or lakes, but this is less common

How long a person can spread the virus

Sometimes the virus can be shed (released from the body) for a long time after a person recovers from an adenovirus infection, especially among people who have weakened immune systems. This "virus shedding" usually occurs without any symptoms, and the person can still spread adenovirus to other people.

Prevention

Follow simple steps to protect yourself and others

CDC recommends simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting or spreading a range of common respiratory viruses, including adenovirus.

  • Practice good hygiene (practices that improve cleanliness).
    • Frequent handwashing is especially important in childcare settings and healthcare facilities.
  • Take steps for cleaner air.
  • When you have a respiratory virus infection, take steps to prevent spread.
Keep Reading Respiratory Virus Guidance

Maintain adequate chlorine levels to prevent outbreaks

It is important to keep adequate levels of chlorine in swimming pools to prevent outbreaks of conjunctivitis caused by adenoviruses. CDC's Healthy Swimming website provides more information on how to maintain healthy and safe swimming environments.

Treatment

There are no approved antiviral medicines or specific treatments for people with adenovirus infection. Most adenovirus infections are mild and may be managed with rest and over-the-counter pain medicines or fever reducers to help relieve symptoms. Always use medications as directed on their labels.

If you have concerns, you should speak with your healthcare provider.

Adenovirus vaccine is for the U.S. military only

There is a vaccine for adenovirus types 4 and 7 that is used for military personnel who might be at higher risk for infection from these two adenovirus types. This vaccine contains live virus that can be shed in stool and potentially cause disease in other people if spread.

Safety and effectiveness of this vaccine have not been studied in the general population or in people with weakened immune systems, and it is not approved for use outside of the military.

There is currently no adenovirus vaccine available to the general public.

For more information about the vaccine, see Adenovirus Vaccine Information Statement (VIS).

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Content Source:
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division