Fatal Pneumonia Associated With Adenovirus Type 7

Abstract

THE ASSOCIATION of adenoviruses with fatal disease in children has been noted in many parts of the world by several investigators.^1-10 In view of the ability of this group of viruses to establish latent infection in various body tissues, including the lung,¹¹ Sohier et al have recently proposed¹² that even the recovery of these viruses from postmortem material is not definitive in establishing an etiological association with the patient's death. These workers would also require evidence of viral multiplication in affected organs. Such criteria have been fulfilled in the case we are presenting of a 10-month-old girl who died of severe pneumonia. Adenovirus type 7 was isolated not only from her stool, but also in high titer from her lungs and pericardial fluid. Histopathological changes consistent with adenovirus infection were observed in postmortem lung tissue. In addition, by the use of electron microscopy, viral particles morphologically consistent