Human Coronavirus-NL63 infections in Korean children, 2004-2006.
BACKGROUND
Human coronavirus-NL63 (HCoV-NL63) has been isolated from children with respiratory tract infections and its prevalence in Korea has not been reported.


OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to investigate the presence and the clinical features of HCoV-NL63 during two winter seasons.


METHODS
During April 2004-April 2006, nasopharyngeal specimens from children hospitalized with acute respiratory disease were tested for common respiratory viruses, including RSV, influenza A, influenza B, parainfluenza viruses, and adenovirus by IFA. hMPV infection was excluded by nested RT-PCR using primers for F-gene. To detect HCoV-NL63, previously described nested PCR assays for 1a and 1b were used. PCR products of the 1a gene for HCoV-NL63 were sequenced.


RESULTS
Out of 872 nasopharyngeal aspirate from children aged under 16 years, 14 (1.7%) were positive for HCoV-NL63. Most of the patients had croup (64.2%) or bronchiolitis (21.4%). The peak prevalence was found in November (28.5%). Most were collected between November 2004 and February 2005.


CONCLUSIONS
HCoV-NL63 may be one of the causative agents of acute respiratory tract infection, especially croup.
Han
Tae Hee
TH
Department of Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine, Sanggyepaik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Chung
Ju-Young
JY
Kim
Sang Woo
SW
Hwang
Eung-Soo
ES
D000208:Acute Disease; D001988:Bronchiolitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D003440:Croup / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005814:Genes, Viral; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D012621:Seasons; D017385:Sequence Homology