Coronavirus HKU1 and other coronavirus infections in Hong Kong.
We have recently described the discovery of a novel coronavirus, coronavirus HKU1 (CoV-HKU1), associated with community-acquired pneumonia. However, the clinical spectrum of disease and the epidemiology of CoV-HKU1 infections in relation to infections with other respiratory viruses are unknown. In this 12-month prospective study, 4,181 nasopharyngeal aspirates from patients with acute respiratory tract infections were subjected to reverse transcription-PCRs specific for CoV-HKU1 and human coronaviruses NL63 (HCoV-NL63), OC43 (HCoV-OC43), and 229E (HCoV-229E). Coronaviruses were detected in 87 (2.1%) patients, with 13 (0.3%) positive for CoV-HKU1, 17 (0.4%) positive for HCoV-NL63, 53 (1.3%) positive for HCoV-OC43, and 4 (0.1%) positive for HCoV-229E. Of the 13 patients with CoV-HKU1 infections, 11 were children and 8 had underlying diseases. Similar to the case for other coronaviruses, upper respiratory infection was the most common presentation of CoV-HKU1 infections, although pneumonia, acute bronchiolitis, and asthmatic exacerbation also occurred. Despite a shorter duration of fever (mean, 1.7 days) and no difference in maximum temperature in children with CoV-HKU1 infections compared to patients with most other respiratory virus infections, a high incidence of febrile seizures (50%) was noted, which was significantly higher than those for HCoV-OC43 (14%), adenovirus (9%), human parainfluenza virus 1 (0%), and respiratory syncytial virus (8%) infections. CoV-HKU1 and HCoV-OC43 infections peaked in winter, although cases of the former also occurred in spring to early summer. This is in contrast to HCoV-NL63 infections, which mainly occurred in early summer and autumn but were absent in winter. Two genotypes of CoV-HKU1 cocirculated during the study period. Continuous studies over a longer period are warranted to ascertain the seasonal variation and relative importance of the different coronaviruses. Similar studies in other countries are required to better determine the epidemiology and genetic diversity of CoV-HKU1.
Lau
Susanna K P
SK
Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
Woo
Patrick C Y
PC
Yip
Cyril C Y
CC
Tse
Herman
H
Tsoi
Hoi-wah
HW
Cheng
Vincent C C
VC
Lee
Paul
P
Tang
Bone S F
BS
Cheung
Chris H Y
CH
Lee
Rodney A
RA
So
Lok-yee
LY
Lau
Yu-lung
YL
Chan
Kwok-hung
KH
Yuen
Kwok-yung
KY
D000208:Acute Disease; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D028941:Coronavirus 229E, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D028962:Coronavirus OC43, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D003294:Seizures, Febrile / Q000453:epidemiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
D014764:Viral Proteins