[Detection and genotyping of human bocavirus 2 in children with acute diarrhea]

Hui Zhao1, Lin-Qing Zhao, Yu Sun

  • 1Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.

Insights

Human Bocavirus 2 (HBoV2) DNA was detected in 2.7% of pediatric diarrhea cases in Beijing. Infants and young children under two years old were most affected by this human parvovirus.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Pediatrics
  • Molecular Biology

Context:

  • Acute diarrhea is a common pediatric illness.
  • Human Bocavirus 2 (HBoV2) is a parvovirus that can cause illness.
  • Limited data exists on HBoV2 prevalence in China.

Purpose:

  • To determine the prevalence of HBoV2 in pediatric patients with acute diarrhea in Beijing.
  • To characterize the genome of HBoV2 strains found in Beijing.

Summary:

  • 553 stool specimens from pediatric patients with acute diarrhea were tested for HBoV2 DNA using TaqMan-based Real-time PCR.
  • HBoV2 DNA was detected in 15 specimens (2.7%), with the highest rates in July and in infants aged 3-6 months.
  • Two near-complete HBoV2 genomes were sequenced and showed high homology to each other and to other HBoV2 strains from China.

Impact:

  • This study identifies HBoV2 as a cause of acute diarrhea in pediatric patients in Beijing.
  • Findings indicate that infants and young children (3 months to 2 years) are most susceptible to HBoV2 infection.
  • The genomic characterization provides valuable data for understanding HBoV2 evolution and epidemiology.