title: Molecular characterization of adenoviruses among finnish military conscripts.
abstract: Although adenoviruses were identified as important respiratory pathogens many years ago, little information is available concerning the prevalence of different adenovirus serotypes, which are circulating and causing epidemics in Finnish military training centers. Over a period of five years from 2008 to 2012, 3577 respiratory specimens were collected from military conscripts presenting with symptoms compatible with acute respiratory tract infection. Upon initial testing for certain respiratory viruses by real-time PCR, 837 of these specimens were identified as adenovirus-positive. For 672 of these specimens, the serotype of the adenovirus responsible was successfully determined by DNA sequencing. Serotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4 were detected in 1, 3, 181, and 487 samples, respectively. Adenovirus epidemics were observed during each year of this study. Based on these findings, adenovirus vaccination should be considered for military conscripts in the Finnish Defence Forces.
authors: Centres for Military Medicine and for Biological Threat Preparedness, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Markos
authors: M
authors: Mölsä
authors: Centres for Military Medicine and for Biological Threat Preparedness, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Heidi
authors: H
authors: Hemmilä
authors: National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Virology Unit, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Esa
authors: E
authors: Rönkkö
authors: Päijät-Häme Social and Health Care Group, Lahti, Finland.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Virkki
authors: Centres for Military Medicine and for Biological Threat Preparedness, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Simo
authors: S
authors: Nikkari
authors: National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Virology Unit, Helsinki, Finland.|Research Center for Child Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors: Thedi
authors: T
authors: Ziegler
mesh_terms: D000257:Adenoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D058872:Epidemics; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D065288:Serogroup; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: genetic sequence; military training centers; real-time PCR; respiratory infection