Human bocavirus respiratory infections in children

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a recently identified virus associated with acute respiratory infections globally.
• Previous reports on HBoV have not included data from Brazil.
• Understanding the prevalence of HBoV in different geographical regions is crucial for public health surveillance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence and prevalence of Human bocavirus (HBoV) in pediatric respiratory infections in Brazil.
• To identify co-infections with other common respiratory viruses in HBoV-positive cases.
• To analyze the clinical symptoms associated with HBoV infections, considering co-infections.

Main Methods:

• Nasopharyngeal aspirates were collected from children under 5 years old hospitalized with respiratory infections in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, in 2005.
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect HBoV.
• HBoV-positive samples were further tested for a panel of other respiratory viruses, including RSV, metapneumovirus, coronaviruses, influenza, parainfluenza, rhinovirus, and adenovirus.

Main Results:

• Human bocavirus (HBoV) was detected in 10.5% (26/248) of the pediatric respiratory infection cases.
• A high rate of co-infection was observed, with 81% (21/26) of HBoV-positive children also testing positive for other respiratory viruses.
• No significant differences in clinical symptoms were found between HBoV-positive patients with and without co-infections.

Conclusions:

• This study reports for the first time the detection of Human bocavirus (HBoV) in respiratory infections in Brazil.
• HBoV is a relevant pathogen in pediatric respiratory infections in Brazil, often occurring as a co-infection.
• Further research is needed to understand the specific role of HBoV and its co-infections in disease severity and clinical presentation.