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Adenovirus Adds to UK Winter Illness Wave, Hitting Young Children as Positivity Eases

Surveillance highlights a disproportionate impact on under‑fives alongside lower overall detections.

Overview

  • UKHSA reports week‑51 adenovirus test positivity around 1.7% in England, rising to about 9.9% in children under five, with recent declines after earlier increases.
  • Clinicians describe infections that can involve the respiratory tract, eyes and gastrointestinal system, and note some cases can linger for six to eight weeks.
  • Health guidance emphasizes symptomatic care because no widely used vaccine or targeted antiviral exists for adenovirus infections.
  • Officials recommend hygiene steps such as covering coughs and sneezes, frequent handwashing and improving ventilation to limit spread via droplets, contact and contaminated surfaces.
  • Neighboring countries say influenza A, particularly H3N2, is the main driver of their winter waves, with Germany’s RKI and Austrian centers reporting adenovirus as a minor factor.