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

Introduction. During the SARS-CoV2 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 5 years old. Objective. Describe the clinical characteristics of patients with severe Adenovirus infection in a pediatric hospital in Colombia. Materials and methods. We reviewed 227 patients with severe adenovirus infection in Fundacion Hospital Pediatrico la Misericordia (HOMI). Results. The study included 196 cases; the median age of patients was 2 years, and 62% were male. Adenovirus was isolated in all patients; 97% were admitted to the pediatric ICU, 94% required respiratory support, and the in-hospital lethality rate was 11%. Conclusion. In 2022 there was an outbreak of severe Adenovirus infection, affecting mainly children under 5 years, with mortality higher than usual.