Large, Persistent Epidemic of Adenovirus Type 4-Associated Acute Respiratory Disease in U.S. Army Trainees

Abstract

Nonvaccine interventions have proven unreliable in the control of adenovirusassociated acute respiratory disease (1). Before live, oral, enteric-coated adenovirus types 4 and 7 vaccines were introduced in 1971, adenovirusassociated acute respiratory disease produced high attack rates and excessive illness in soldiers during service-entry basic combat training (2). The subsequent policy to vaccinate all male trainees during basic combat training drastically reduced adenovirus type 4-and type 7-associated acute respiratory disease (3).