Large Epidemic of Respiratory Illness Due to Adenovirus Types 7 and 3 in Healthy Young Adults

Abstract

After 25 years of successful control through immunization, respiratory infections due to adenoviruses have reemerged to threaten the health of young adults in the military. Shortly after the loss of adenovirus vaccine supplies, a large outbreak of respiratory illness was observed at the United States Navy's sole basic training center. Laboratory testing confirmed 541 cases of adenovirus infection, including 378 cases due to serotype 7 and 132 cases due to serotype 3. This outbreak was remarkable because of its unique serotype distribution and the large amount of data available to describe demographic factors associated with infection. This was the largest outbreak of respiratory illness due to adenovirus types 7 and 3 documented in recent history, and it portends even greater challenges for young adults in the military in the postvaccine era.