Human bocavirus commonly involved in multiple viral airway infections.

BACKGROUND

Human bocavirus (HBoV) was recently discovered in children with acute respiratory tract infections. We have included a PCR for HBoV in a study on airway infections in children.

OBJECTIVES

To study the occurrence of HBoV in Norwegian children, and to evaluate the results of a semiquantitative PCR.

STUDY DESIGN

During a 4-month period in the winter season 2006/2007 we collected nasopharyngeal aspirations from children who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics. All samples were examined for 17 agents with real-time PCR.

RESULTS

HBoV was detected in 45 of 376 samples (12%). The occurrence of HBoV was stable during the study period. Multiple viral infections were present in 78% of the samples (42% double, 20% triple and 16% quadruple infections). RS-virus, enterovirus and human metapneumovirus were the most frequently codetected agents. In samples with a high load for HBoV, significantly fewer multiple infections were found than in the other samples. Eighty-eight percent of the 25 patients with HBoV recorded as either the only or the dominating virus, and 50% of the other patients, had lower respiratory tract infection. The difference was statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

HBoV was frequently detected in nasopharyngeal aspirates from children with airway infections in Norway. Multiple viral infections were common among the HBoV-infected patients. Semiquantitative PCR results may be useful for interpretation of clinical relevance.