Objective: We determined the molecular prevalence and genotype distribution of human adenovirus (HAdV) among children under five years of age with gastroenteritis in Iran.
Methods: One hundred stool samples from children hospitalized were tested by PCR for adenovirus, and some of the positive samples were sequenced to determine the specific genotype.
Results: HAdV DNA was found in 15 samples (15%). The highest and the lowest prevalence of HAdV was observed in the age groups 24-60 months (n = 6; 40%) and 7-12 months (n = 2; 13.3%), respectively (p = 0.01). Nine HAdV-positive samples were sequenced, of which four isolates were HAdV type 2 and five isolates were HAdV type 41.
Conclusion: HAdV was most common in the 24-60-month-old children. Of the samples sequenced, we found only types 2 and 41. Our results show that in addition to HAdV types 40 and 41, HAdV type 2 may also play a role in causing gastroenteritis in children.
Keywords: Adenovirus; children; diarrhea; gastroenteritis; molecular prevalence.