The versatility of human adenovirus in the immunocompetent patient

Human adenovirus infections occur especially in children under five years old, spread easily and, in some cases, are highly contagious. The majority of infections are self-limited, affecting the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, and often are difficult to differentiate from those caused by other viruses. Occasionally they are confused in their clinical expression with other processes, as has happened in the two cases we present. It would be desirable to optimize the diagnostic methods in order to address these infections more accurately and to allow us to move away from uncertainty.