Rapid Detection of Adenovirus from Fecal Specimens

In 1953, the first adenovirus was isolated from a human and, subsequently, 47 types have been shown to exist. Adenoviruses are now classified into six subgroups (A–F), which are based on their hemagglutination properties (1 ). They have a icosahedron structure that contains double-stranded linear DNA of 45,000 basepairs. Although, adenoviruses can cause a range of infections in humans, including conjunctivitis, pharyngitis, and gastroenteritis, this chapter focuses on gastroenteric adenoviruses and their rapid detection in fecal samples.