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J. Clin. Microbiol. doi:10.1128/JCM.02160-07
Copyright (c) 2008, American Society for Microbiology and/or the Listed Authors/Institutions. All Rights Reserved.

IMPACT OF HUMAN BOCAVIRUS ON CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES

Institute of Pediatrics, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS "Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena", Milan, Italy; Department of Virology, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Pediatric Emergency Unit, Fondazione IRCCS "Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena", Milan, Italy

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: Nicola.Principi{at}unimi.it.

	Abstract

This study was planned to investigate the prevalence and clinical features of the illnesses associated with human bocavirus (hBoV) in children with acute disease. We prospectively enrolled all subjects aged less than 15 years attending an Emergency Room in Milan, Italy, on Wednesdays and Sundays between November 1, 2004, and March 31, 2005, for any acute medical reason excluding surgical diseases and trauma. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected at admission to detect hBoV, influenza A and B viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza viruses 1, 2, 3, 4, rhinovirus, adenovirus and coronavirus 229E, OC43, NL63 and HKU1 by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Among the 1,332 enrolled children, hBoV was the fifth most frequently detected virus (7.4%). The rate of hBoV co-infections with other viruses was significantly higher than for the other viruses (50.5% vs 27.5%; p<0.0001). Eighty-nine of the 99 hBoV-positive children (89.9%) had a respiratory tract infection and 10 (10.1%) gastroenteritis. HBoV co-infections had a significantly greater clinical and socioeconomic impact on the infected children and their households than hBoV infection alone. In conclusion, these findings show that the role of hBoV infection alone seems marginal in children attending an Emergency Room for acute disease, whereas its clinical and socioeconomic importance becomes relevant only when it is associated with other viruses.