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Impact of human bocavirus on children and their families

Susanna Esposito1, Samantha Bosis, Hubert G M Niesters

  • 1Institute of Pediatrics, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Via Commenda 9, 20122 Milano, Italy.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|February 22, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Human bocavirus (hBoV) is often found with other viruses in children with acute illnesses. While hBoV alone has a minor role, coinfections significantly increase clinical and socioeconomic impacts.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Virology
  • Public health

Background:

  • Human bocavirus (hBoV) is a known respiratory pathogen.
  • Its role in acute childhood illnesses requires further investigation, especially in emergency room settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of hBoV infections in children presenting with acute conditions.
  • To assess the impact of hBoV coinfections with other respiratory viruses.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective enrollment of children under 15 years old in an emergency room setting.
  • Real-time PCR analysis of nasopharyngeal swabs for hBoV and multiple other respiratory viruses.
  • Clinical data collection on presenting symptoms and diagnoses.

Main Results:

  • hBoV was detected in 7.4% of 1,332 children, making it the fifth most common virus.
  • hBoV coinfection rate (50.5%) was significantly higher than for other viruses.
  • Most hBoV cases involved respiratory tract infections (89.9%), with a smaller proportion having gastroenteritis (10.1%).

Conclusions:

  • hBoV monoinfection appears to have a limited role in acute pediatric illnesses presenting to emergency departments.
  • The clinical and socioeconomic burden of hBoV is amplified when it co-occurs with other viral infections.
  • Coinfection status is critical for understanding the full impact of hBoV in pediatric acute care settings.

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