A review of adenoviruses in the etiology of acute hemorrhagic cystitis.

In a comparison of children with acute hemorrhagic cystitis it was noted that 51 per cent of those in Sendai, Japan and 23 per cent of those in Chicago, Illinois had adenoviruria during their illness. These 2 populations are the only ones in which the disease has been studied and reported. In both populations male outnumbered female patients, with a ratio of 3.4 to 1 in Japanese children and 2.3 to 1 in American children. Adenovirus type 11 was isolated exclusively in both studies, with the exception of 2 American children who had adenovirus type 21 in the urine. While the Japanese children experienced their illnesses for approximately 2 weeks American children had symptoms for only 4 to 5 days. Virus shedding continued throughout the illness in both populations. The adenovirus 11 strains from American children were antigenically similar to the prototype adenovirus type 11 strain as measured by cross hemagglutination-inhibition procedures. Adenovirus antigen was identified by immunofluorescence in exfoliated bladder epithelial cells from patients with acute hemorrhagic cystitis. Studies to date indicate that adenovirus type 11 is the etiologic agent in some but not all pediatric cases of acute hemorrhagic cystitis.