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Laboratory guidelines

Laboratories can detect and type human adenoviruses using:

• Molecular detection (e.g., Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs), such as PCR)
• Partial or full genome sequencing
• Antigen detection
• Virus isolation
• Virus neutralization with type-specific antisera

Additional information on adenovirus testing at ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø is available at Submitting Specimens to ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø.

Specimen collection

The types of specimens you should collect for human adenovirus detection depend on the patient's clinical presentation and type of infection.

Before collecting any specimens, discuss with a laboratory and a clinician familiar with adenovirus. To improve human adenovirus detection, you should collect specimens within a week of symptom onset.

Respiratory Infections

For respiratory infections, you should typically collect upper respiratory specimens such as a nasopharyngeal swab and/or oropharyngeal (throat) swab. If there is evidence of a lower respiratory infection, you should also collect a lower respiratory specimen such as sputum. In some instances, a serum specimen may be helpful.

Eye Infections

If there is clinical evidence of a conjunctival or eye infection, you should collect a conjunctival swab.

Gastroenteritis Infections

See Recommendations for Collection of Laboratory Specimens Associated with Outbreaks of Gastroenteritis (cdc.gov).