# Treatment of Severe Adenovirus Infection With HAdV‐B21 in a Young Obese Male With Normal Immunity

## TL;DR

A healthy obese man developed severe pneumonia from a rare adenovirus and was successfully treated with a combination of therapies.

## Contribution

This case highlights the severity of HAdV-B21 and supports combined antiviral/anti-inflammatory treatment.

## Key findings

- HAdV-B21 can cause life-threatening pneumonia in immunocompetent individuals.
- Treatment with ribavirin, corticosteroids, and prone positioning was effective without needing ECMO.

## Abstract

Adenovirus infections are usually mild, but rare serotypes like “HAdV‐B21” can cause severe pneumonia even in healthy individuals. We report a 32‐year‐old immunocompetent obese male who developed life‐threatening HAdV‐B21 pneumonia (PaO2/FiO2 62 mmHg), requiring mechanical ventilation. Successful treatment included ribavirin, corticosteroids, and prone positioning, avoiding ECMO. This case demonstrates the potential severity of rare adenovirus strains and supports combined antiviral/anti‐inflammatory therapy for such infections.