An analysis of hospitalizations for acute respiratory disease in recruits immunized with adenovirus type 4 and type 7 vaccines.

Dudding, B. A., F. H. Top, Jr., R. M. Scott, P. K. Russell and E. L. Buescher (Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D. C. 20012). An analysis of hospitalizations for acute respiratory disease in recruits immunized with adenovirus type 4 and type 7 vaccines. 95: 140–147, 1972.—Among 911 recruits immunized with live, oral adenovirus types 4 and 7 (ADV-4 and 7) vaccines, there were 149 hospital admissions to the acute respiratory disease (ARD) wards during the study. Eighteen admissions were not associated with ARD (15 rubella infections, 3 immunization reactions). Of the remaining 131 ARD admissions, 17 were complicated by pneumonia and 114 were judged to have uncomplicated ARD. Within the latter group, evidence for infection by a single respiratory pathogen was obtained from 68 admissions; 11 admissions were associated with multiple infectious agents; and 35 admissions yielded no infectious agent(s). Despite immunization, adenoviruses, primarily ADV-4, were still the most common cause of ARD. Among non-adenovirus associated ARD admissions, rhinoviruses were the most common (10), followed by influenza A2 virus (7), group A streptococci (2) and herpesvirus hominis (2). Thus, in this initial study of ARD among recruits immunized with ADV-4 and ADV-7 vaccines, no other respiratory pathogens emerged to replace adenovirus types 4 and 7 as the major causes of ARD in military trainees.