Genome types of adenovirus type 7 isolated in Hiroshima City

One hundred thirty-two strains of adenovirus type 7 were isolated in Hiroshima City during the period 1995-1999. About 80% of the viruses were isolated from patients with respiratory illness, and about 70% were isolated from children younger than 6 years old. DNA restriction analysis was performed on 58 of the 132 isolates. Two genome types corresponding to adenovirus 7d and adenovirus 7h were recognized using BamHI. By using an additional 10 restriction endonucleases (BclI, BglI, BglII, BstEII, HindIII, HpaI, SmaI, PstI, PvuII, and SacI), the 58 isolates were classified finally into five genome types according to Wadell and coworkers' nomenclature system: adenovirus 7d2 (54 isolates), adenovirus 7d3 (one isolate), adenovirus 7d4 (one isolate), adenovirus 7d5 (one isolate), and adenovirus 7h (one isolate), among which adenovirus 7d3, 7d4, and 7d5 were new genome types. Our results indicate that the predominant genome type of adenovirus 7 that circulated in Hiroshima City during the period May 1995-November 1999 was adenovirus 7d2.