Province-wide adenovirus type 3 outbreak with severe cases in New Brunswick

Adenovirus is a commonly isolated virus in clinical samples. Life-threatening infections, although rare, arc described worldwide. An epidemic spread of an adenovirus type 3 strain occurred in the province of New Brunswick during the fall of 2008 to the winter of 2009; it resulted in three severely ill patients, with one fatality. Adenovirus should be considered as a cause of severe community-acquired viral pneumonia, especially when the influenza test is negative.