Severe adenovirus infection outbreak in Colombia: Experience from a tertiary pediatric hospital in 2022

Abstract

Introduction. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, many countries experienced decreased respiratory virus circulation, followed by an out-of-season outbreak. In a pediatric hospital in Colombia, we observed a surge in severe adenovirus infections, leading to concerns about the impact of eased public health restrictions and immune debt in children under five years old.Objective. To describe the clinical characteristics of patients with severe adenovirus infection in a pediatric hospital in Colombia.Materials and methods. We reviewed the data of 227 patients with severe adenovirus infection at the Fundación Hospital Pediátrico La Misericordia.Results. A total of 196 patients were included in this study. The median age was two years, and 62% were male. Adenoviruses were isolated from all patients’ samples. Ninetyseven percent were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit, 94% required respiratory support, and the in-hospital lethality rate was 11%.Conclusion. In 2022, there was an outbreak of severe adenovirus infections, affecting mainly children under five years of age, with higher-than-usual mortality.