Adenovirus 21 Infection in an Isolated Antarctic Station: Transmission of the Virus and Susceptibility of the Population
1Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Wisconsin Medical School Madison, WI
5United States Naval Support Force Antarctica Port Hueneme, CA
7Ames Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Center Moffett Field, CA
Reprint requests to Dr. Peter A. Shult, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, University of Wisconsin, 465 Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706
Natural dissemination of viral respiratory illness to susceptible men may occur with surprising difficulty. This was especially evident during a 1977 outbreak of adenovirus type 21 (Ad-21) at McMurdo Station, a US research base in Antarctica. The unique circumstances at McMurdo allowed 125 men from the US to join and intermingle with 75 men who had wintered for 6 months in complete isolation. For an additional 5-week (September 2 to October 4, 1977) isolation penod, respiratory illness etiology and transmission were monitored in the combined population. A total of 89% of the population was susceptible (neutralizing antibody titer, <1:3)> Illness spread very slowly (1.5 cases/100 persons/week) with no epidemic peak and was much less severe than Ad-21 outbreaks in other settings. The incidence of infection (17.3%) and illness (9.6%) was low even in men who had wintered over, with values very similar to those of the newcomers (13.9% and 8.9%, respectively). Thus, despite a harsh environment and frequent prolonged gatherings of susceptible personnel, even a respiratory virus type with known epidemic potential was surprisingly difficult to transmit.
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