Prevalence of Human Adenovirus 36 and Its Association with Overweight/Obese and Lipid Profiles in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study

Nowadays, obesity is a major public health problem in the most developed countries and its persistence impacts the incidence of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Compared to genetical and other behavioral factors, the viral origin of obesity has been less studied, which is why we undertook to assess the prevalence of human adenovirus 36 (Adv36) antibody and its association with obesity and lipid profiles in a Tehranian population. In this cross-sectional study, 348 individuals were selected randomly from among participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS). Anthropometric, blood pressure, and biochemical factors were measured and the human Adv36 antibody was determined using the ELISA method. The prevalence of seropositive Adv36 was 61.8% (N =215), and that of anti-Adv36 was lower in overweight and/or obese subjects in comparison to non-obese ones (57.3 vs. 68.6%; p<0.05). Children and adolescents with Adv36 seropositive had higher mean height, weight, waist, TC, LDL-C, TG, DBP, and SBP and lower HDL-C. Adv36 seropositive adults had higher mean height, weight, and TG and lower HDL-C. Despite the high prevalence of Adv36 in this Tehranian population, no significant correlation was found between Adv36 seropositivity and BMI, although, it has been associated with lipid disorders. Therefore, further research using neut‌ralization confirmatory methods is recommended.