Enteric Adenovirus Gastroenteritis in Under-Five Children, Kano-Nigeria

Context: Adenoviruses have been implicated in many outbreaks and sporadic cases of pediatric gastroenteritis. Aim: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and circulating serotype(s) of enteric adenoviruses among under-five children with diarrheal diseases in Kano, Nigeria. Settings and Designs: This was a multicentered hospital-based cross-sectional study involving 250 under-five children recruited from Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital and Hasiya Bayero Paediatric Hospital. Materials and Methods: Enteric adenovirus F40/F41 were checked in the stools of children exhibiting symptoms of gastroenteritis, diarrhea, and/or vomiting by nested PCR amplification of the adenovirus Hexa/E1B regions and positive samples characterized by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Statistical Analysis Used: Data generated were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the association between the variables was checked by the Chi-square test. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The nested PCR result shows that 7 (2.8%) out of the 250 stools were positive for enteric adenovirus (group F), with only serotype F41 detected within the cohort examined. The isolates were more closely related to KJ425126 from Gabon. The results highlighted that fever and vomiting are prominent features of adenovirus F41 gastroenteritis and children 1-2 years especially males were mostly affected. Conclusion: The study improved our knowledge and understanding of the role of enteric adenovirus in under-five gastroenteritis and suggests that EAdeV-F41 is an important cause of gastrointestinal infections, particularly in infants and young children in Kano, Nigeria. This may call for routine screening of the stools of children with diarrhea for future management guidelines.