AdV1

AdV-1, or adenovirus type 1, is a serotype of human adenoviruses belonging to the Mastadenovirus genus. It is a non-enveloped virus with an icosahedral capsid and a linear double-stranded DNA genome of roughly 34 to 36 kilobases. The virus follows a replication cycle that uses the host cell’s machinery, with a transcription program that includes early genes (such as E1A and E1B) and late genes (L1–L5). The fiber protein mediates entry by binding to cellular receptors, commonly the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) or related attachment factors, followed by internalization through integrins.

AdV-1 is distributed worldwide and is transmitted primarily via respiratory droplets, direct person-to-person contact, and contaminated surfaces; fecal-oral transmission can occur in settings with close contact, such as households or daycare centers. In otherwise healthy people, infections typically cause nonspecific upper respiratory symptoms, pharyngitis, conjunctivitis, or mild gastroenteritis. In young children and in immunocompromised individuals, AdV-1 infections can be more severe and may include pneumonia, hepatitis, or disseminated disease. Like other adenoviruses, latent infections can reactivate in the setting of immune suppression.

Diagnosis is usually made by polymerase chain reaction testing of respiratory or ocular specimens, with viral culture or antigen detection as alternatives. Most infections are self-limited and managed with supportive care. Antiviral treatment is rarely used and may include cidofovir in severe, immunocompromised cases, though evidence is limited. There is no widely available vaccine for AdV-1; vaccines exist for other serotypes (such as AdV-4 and AdV-7) used in some military programs.

Beyond clinical disease, AdV-1 has been used in basic virology research and as a backbone for replication-defective viral vectors in laboratory studies, although other serotypes are more common in vector development due to population immunity considerations.