Adenoviral Enteritis

Adenoviral enteritis is caused by adenovirus infection. Clinical features are abrupt onset, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea with watery or loose stool, and sometimes fever and general malaise, with a short course and low fatality. Gastroenteritis caused by various viruses is clinically similar; many virus types are associated with acute gastroenteritis.

Common Symptoms

Defecation urge; diarrhea; infectious rhinitis

Causes and Pathogenesis

(1) Etiology: Enteric adenoviruses refer to types 40 and 41, which mainly invade the small intestine causing gastroenteritis. They resemble ordinary adenoviruses, 70 to 80 nm in diameter, with a 40 to 45 nm core containing double-stranded linear DNA, a capsid, and no lipid envelope. Type 31 adenovirus can also cause diarrhea. WHO has confirmed enteric adenovirus as the second most important cause of viral diarrhea in children. (2) Pathogenesis: Enteric adenovirus mainly infects the jejunum and ileum, causing small, shortened villi, cell degeneration and lysis, and lamina propria mononuclear infiltration, leading to small intestinal absorption dysfunction and osmotic diarrhea.

Treatment

Symptomatic treatment, drug therapy, supportive therapy

Preventive Measures

Health education: Cutting transmission routes is the key to prevention. 1. Manage the source of infection: Early detection and isolation of patients; close observation of contacts and suspected cases. 2. Cut transmission routes: Strengthen food, water, and personal hygiene; disinfect patient feces; prevent contamination of drinking water and food. Hospitals must strictly disinfect infant and neonatal areas; incontinent children should be restricted from daycare or school. 3. Immunization: Rotavirus vaccines are clinically available; during epidemics, passive immunization of high-risk and susceptible groups has some effect. Breast milk provides some protection; breastfeeding is recommended to reduce severity. Milk from cows immunized with bovine rotavirus contains IgA and IgG antibodies and also protects infants.

Department to Visit

It is recommended to visit the Infectious Diseases department; an appointment can be booked on this platform before the visit.

Warm reminder: The above information is for health science reference only and cannot replace professional medical diagnosis. If you have related symptoms, please seek medical attention at a regular hospital promptly.