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Published on: August 30, 2014
[Bocavirus in infants under 5 years with acute respiratory infection. Chaco Province, Argentina, 2014]
Gerardo D Deluca1, María Cecilia Urquijo1, Carolina Passarella1
1Laboratorio de Aplicaciones Moleculares, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Corrientes, Argentina.
Insights
Bocavirus (BoV) was detected in 7.4% of infants under 5 with acute respiratory infections in northern Argentina. The virus was most common in winter months, often co-infecting with other pathogens.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Pediatrics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is a leading cause of illness and death in children globally.
- Bocavirus (BoV) is an emerging viral pathogen implicated in respiratory diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of bocavirus (BoV) in young children presenting with ARI symptoms in northern Argentina.
- To investigate the molecular epidemiology of BoV in the Chaco province.
Main Methods:
- Real-time PCR was used to analyze nasopharyngeal aspirates from 488 pediatric patients.
- Samples were collected over a 12-month period (January-December 2014).
Main Results:
- Bocavirus (BoV) was identified in 7.4% (36/488) of the study cohort.
- The highest detection rate occurred from June to September, with 77.8% of positive cases.
- BoV was found as a single infection in 50% of cases and as a co-infection in the other 50%.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first molecular epidemiological data on bocavirus (BoV) in northern Argentina.
- BoV is a relevant pathogen in pediatric ARI cases in the region, particularly during colder months.
- Increased awareness and investigation of BoV in respiratory infections are warranted.
Abstract:
Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is the most frequent pathology along human life, being the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of bocavirus (BoV) in infants under 5 years with symptoms of ARI from north Argentina (Chaco province). The study was performed on nasopharyngeal aspirates from 488 patients, in the period of January-December 2014. The samples were tested by real time PCR and 36 positive BoV cases (7.4%) were detected. The period with the highest detection rate was June-September with 28 cases (77.8%), of which 26 (72.2%) were infants between 6-18 moths of life. In half of BoV positive cases this virus was detected as single infection of the upper respiratory tract, and in the remaining 50%, as concomitant infection with other microorganisms. To our knowledge, this would be the first study on molecular epidemiology of BoV in northern Argentina. We emphasize the importance of investigating these new viruses capable of generating acute respiratory disease and also to disseminate awareness on their circulation within the community.
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