Human bocavirus: a novel parvovirus epidemiologically associated with pneumonia requiring hospitalization in Thailand.
BACKGROUND
We detected human bocavirus (HBoV) infection in 4.5% of hospitalized patients with pneumonia in rural Thailand. However, the role of HBoV as a pathogen is unclear.


METHODS
We compared HBoV infection in patients with pneumonia with that in asymptomatic control patients enrolled between 1 September 2004 and 31 August 2005 in the same hospitals in Thailand. We examined outpatients with influenza-like illness for HBoV infection and tested for 13 additional respiratory viruses. Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of HBoV infection are described.


RESULTS
HBoV infection was detected in 20 (3.9%) of 512 outpatients and 3 (1%) of 280 control patients. Coinfection with other viruses was detected in 83% of patients with pneumonia and in 90% of outpatients. Compared with control patients, HBoV infection was significantly associated with pneumonia requiring hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio, 3.56 [95% confidence interval, 1.06-11.91]; P=.04). Eighty-three percent of HBoV infections were detected in patients with pneumonia who were <5 years old. More patients with pneumonia associated with HBoV-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) coinfections had wheezing than patients with RSV and HPIV infections alone (9 [53%] of 17 vs. 32 [23%] of 138]; P=.01).


CONCLUSIONS
HBoV infection was epidemiologically associated with pneumonia among young children in rural Thailand, but infection and illness may be dependent on coinfection with other viruses.
Fry
Alicia M
AM
Epidemiology Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. afry@cdc.gov
Lu
Xiaoyan
X
Chittaganpitch
Malinee
M
Peret
Teresa
T
Fischer
Julie
J
Dowell
Scott F
SF
Anderson
Larry J
LJ
Erdman
Dean
D
Olsen
Sonja J
SJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D052660:Bocavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology
D004279:DNA, Viral