Beginning in 1997, various scientists and scientific studies have demonstrated a direct correlation of a human common cold virus that can cause cells to retain fat. This virus is called the human adenovirus serotype 36, or, HAdV-36 or AD-36. An adenovirus is a virus that affects the membranes of the respiratory tract, intestines and urinary tract. There are approximately 50 known adenoviruses that infect humans, the common cold being the most notorious strain, and adenoviruses can cause upper respiratory infections, cold symptoms, gastrointestinal problems and eye infections.

The AD-36 virus was first noticed by an Indian doctorate named Nikhil Dhurandhar, who first noticed in his native India that chickens that were infected with a deadly avian adenovirus grew fatter as they aged, as opposed to thinner. Once Dr. Dhurandhar arrived in the U.S., agriculture authorities banned him importing an overseas virus, so he researched various human adenovirus strains to find similar effects from AD-36, thus leading to his discovery of obesity related effects of AD-36. The AD-36 virus was first isolated in a German girl with diabetes, although diabetes or any other medical condition is not exclusively linked to the AD-36 virus. Since then, AD-36 has been found to also cause obesity in mice, rats and monkeys. Dr. Dhurandhar coined the term “infectobesity” and in 2007, his research team confirmed evidence of a direct effect of the virus on human fat cells.

According to Dr. Dhurandhar, AD-36 can be spread airborne, just like the common cold: first, AD-36 infects the lungs and can transfer to various organs, including the liver, kidneys and brain. Once AD-36 is introduced to a fat cell, it activates the cell’s capability of turning into a pre-fat cell that can hold more fat than a normal, unaffected cell. Fat cells multiply and weight gain can continue for up to three months until the body has built up resistance. In August 2007, a colleague of Dr. Dhurandhar named Magdalena Pasarica, MD, PhD, presented this discovery at the annual American Chemical Society meeting, stating that even though the team believes that the virus is not an exact cause of obesity, it may prove that some cases of obesity are viral linked. Although the group is not entirely sure how AD-36 affects fat cells, they discovered the presence of a specific AD-36 gene called E4Orfl, which is linked to the virus’s obesity related effects.

Since these discoveries, it is estimated that AD-36 can be found in approximately 30% of obese humans and 11% in non-obese humans. In March 2006, a researcher named Richard Atkinson posted information on several websites about blood test results in over 2000 Australians and showed that over 20% had contracted AD-36, and in January 2009, Dr. Dhurandhar was scheduled to release scientific research that AD-36 is one possible cause for a high rate of adult obesity in Britain. Currently, between 80-90 million Americans are obese. In Virginia state, there is a biotech firm called Obetech, where Richard Atkinson serves as the president and CEO, that offers diagnostic tests for those believed to be infected with AD-36.

The tests check the positive amounts of AD-36 antibodies in the blood and can help an individual predict future weight problems or can explain an individual’s unexpected weight gain. Of course, the majority of cases of obesity are not linked to AD-36 and health officials agree that an individual who is obese must be proactive and practice healthy lifestyle factors including monitoring cholesterol levels, maintaining a healthy eating lifestyle and getting regular physical activity.

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