Characteristics of an Adenovirus Outbreak in Children Following the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Single-Center Experience

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the frequency and severity of adenoviral respiratory tract infections (RTIs). Differential diagnosis and prediction of their course can provide appropriate management for a favorable outcome. Here, we analyzed the clinical characteristics of children hospitalized with adenoviral RTIs to determine the factors predicting their severity. Of the 53 patients, 38 were included in the bronchopneumonia, 15 in the severe pneumonia group. The duration of fever before hospitalization was statistically shorter in the severe group (<i>P</i> = .034). The leukocyte count was within the normal range in all patients, C-reactive protein was above the normal range in 86.8%, but this had no relation with disease severity. Procalcitonin level was statistically significantly higher in the severe pneumonia group (<i>P</i> = .04). The codetection of <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> and/or <i>Haemophilus influenzae</i> (64.2%) or other viruses (54.7%) in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing was not associated with severity of adenovirus RTIs.