An in vitro foetal intestinal organ culture system was employed to determine the permissiveness of human intestinal cells for subgroup F adenovirus infection. Ad40 and Ad41 growth, monitored through group-specific hexon antigen production, was poor in comparison to that of Ad2 in these cultures, further demonstrating their fastidious nature in most human cells. The low growth capability of these viruses in culture, in relation to their association with gastrointestinal disease is discussed.

Stools from 266 children in four districts of Lesotho were examined for viruses by electron microscopy (EM) over a 5-week period. Eighty one (30.5%) of the children shed coronavirus-like particles (CVLPs). Shedding was not significantly associated with diarrhea. The proportion of children shedding these particles increased with increasing age. In one district, the prevalence of CVLP shedding (67.9%) was at least twice the prevalence in any of the other three districts. This was the only district to be sampled during the first week of the study. It was shown that the proportion of children shedding CVLPs declined during each of the 5 weeks of study. The stools of six children who shed CVLPs in the early summer of 1984-85 were negative by EM 5 months later. There was no association between the shedding of pathogenic bacteria or parasites and the presence or absence of CVLPs in the stool.

Primary human embryo kidney cells and Chang conjunctival cells were inoculated with fastidious enteric adenovirus type 40. Mature virions were seen in the nuclei of infected Chang cells, but not in human embryo kidney cells, indicating that at least a proportion of Chang cells can support the entire replicative cycle.