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An In vitro Model to Study Immune Responses of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells to Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
Published on: December 10, 2013
Human bocavirus in children hospitalized for acute respiratory tract infection in Rome
Laura Petrarca1, Raffaella Nenna1, Antonella Frassanito1
1Maternal-Infantile and Urological Science Department, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Insights
Human bocavirus (HBoV) is frequently detected in children hospitalized with respiratory infections, often alongside other viruses like RSV. Further research is needed to confirm HBoV
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Virology
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- The etiological role of human bocavirus (HBoV) in pediatric respiratory infections remains incompletely understood.
- HBoV has been detected in children with acute respiratory tract infections, but its independent contribution versus co-infection is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize clinical and serological features of children hospitalized with HBoV-associated acute respiratory tract infections.
- To compare outcomes and clinical presentations of HBoV detected alone versus in co-infection with other respiratory viruses.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 60 children hospitalized for acute respiratory symptoms with HBoV detected via RT-PCR.
- Analysis included detection of 14 common respiratory viruses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
- Clinical data, chest X-rays, and laboratory findings were compared between HBoV alone and co-infection groups.
Main Results:
- HBoV was detected in 51.7% of patients in co-infection, most commonly with RSV (61.3%).
- No significant differences in clinical presentation or laboratory findings were observed between HBoV alone and co-infection groups.
- HBoV-RSV co-infection was associated with younger age, male sex, and lower neutrophil counts.
Conclusions:
- Human bocavirus is frequently detected in children with acute respiratory tract infections, both as a sole pathogen and in co-infection.
- The causal relationship between HBoV and respiratory illness requires further investigation.
- Co-infection with RSV may indicate specific clinical associations in young children.
Background:
The role of human bocavirus (HBoV) as a respiratory pathogen has not been fulfilled yet. We aimed to describe clinical and serological characteristics of children with HBoV hospitalized for acute respiratory tract infection and to evaluate whether differences occur between HBoV alone and in co-infection.
Methods:
We retrospectively reviewed data from 60 children (median age of 6.2 months, range 0.6-70.9) hospitalized for acute respiratory symptoms, with HBoV detected from a respiratory sample, using a reverse transcriptase-PCR for 14 respiratory viruses (including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza virus A and B, human coronavirus OC43, 229E, NL-63 and HUK1, adenovirus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus1-3, and human metapneumovirus).
Results:
HBoV was detected alone in 29 (48.3%) patients, while in co-infection with other viruses in 31 patients (51.7%), with a peak between December and January. Among the 60 patients, 34 were bronchiolitis, 19 wheezing, 3 pneumonia, 2 upper respiratory tract infection, and 2 whooping cough. Seven children (11.6%) required admission to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for respiratory failure. No differences was observed in age, family history for atopy and/or asthma, clinical presentations, chest X-ray, or laboratory findings in children with HBoV alone vs. multiple viral detection. RSV was the most frequently co-detected virus (61.3%). When compared with HBoV detection alone, the co-detection of RSV and HBoV was associated with male sex (P = 0.013), younger age (P = 0.01), and lower blood neutrophil count (P = 0.032).
Conclusions:
HBoV can be detected alone and in co-infection respiratory samples of children with an acute respiratory tract infection. A cause-effect relationship between HBoV and respiratory infection is not clear, so further studies are needed to clarify this point.
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