A family of viral agents. They have been associated with pharyngoconjunctival fever (types 3, 4, and 7, in particular), acute respiratory disease (ARD), epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (type 8), and febrile pharyngitis in children (types 1, 2, and 5). A number of types have been isolated from tonsils and adenoids removed from surgical patients. Although most of the illnesses caused by adenoviruses are respiratory, adenoviruses are frequently excreted in stools, and certain adenoviruses have been isolated from sewage. Distinct serotypes of mammalian (genus Mastadenovirus) and avian (genus Aviadenovirus) are known. These genera contain 87 and 14 species, respectively.