Acute respiratory distress syndrome in adenovirus type 4 pneumonia : a case report

Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) cause a wide spectrum of clinical syndromes, depending on species and types, from mild respiratory infections to deadly pneumonia: in particular, severe infections occur in immunocompromised patients. In this report, we describe the case of a 36 years-old woman admitted to our intensive care unit (ICU) with severe respiratory distress syndrome caused by adenovirus pneumonia, that required invasive respiratory support (mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). Molecular assays detected the virus in respiratory and plasma specimen and sequencing procedure identified HAdV type 4. Patient improved after cidofovir administration. Leukopenia and subsequent bacterial infection occurred, but the patient recovered completely and was discharged from the hospital after 54days.