Searching for HAdV-52, the putative gastroenteritis-associated human adenovirus serotype in Southern Hungary

Human adenovirus (HAdV) serotype 52 has recently been discovered in the United States in samples from human patients with gastroenteritis of unknown etiology and is suspected to be a new human enteric pathogen. The aim of the present pilot study was to investigate whether this virus is circulating in the population of Southern Hungary by screening stool specimens collected from gastroenteritis cases and communal sewage samples in the area of Baranya County. A total of 209 diarrheic stool (124 from children and 85 from adults) and 45 influent sewage samples were screened for HAdV-52 by PCR using a primer pair specific to the gene of 12.5K protein in the E3 genomic region. The novel human adenovirus was not detected in any of the tested samples, suggesting that HAdV-52 was not circulating in the target population and the area during the study period. Since temporal and geographical fluctuations may markedly affect the epidemiology of human enteric pathogens, additional investigations are required to gain more in- depth insights into the ecology of this novel adenovirus.