Human bocavirus infection in hospitalized children in Italy.
BACKGROUND
Human bocavirus (HBoV) was first discovered in Sweden in 2005 and has now been found worldwide; however its role in clinically relevant diseases has not yet been clearly defined.


OBJECTIVE
To gain new insight into HBoV infection among children hospitalized with acute respiratory infections in Rome.


METHODS
Between November 2004 and May 2007, 415 nasal washings were tested for the presence of an extensive range of respiratory viruses using molecular methods.


RESULTS
Viral pathogens were detected in 214 children (51.6%), 28.9% being respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and 9.6% being rhinovirus positive. Of the 34 children (8.2%) who tested positive for HBoV, 21 (61.8%) were co-infected with another respiratory virus, mainly RSV. Human bocavirus was the only pathogen identified in four pneumonia and six bronchiolitis cases in March 2005 and January 2007, respectively. Human bocavirus was also detected in one child hospitalized with gastroenteritis and in another with erythema.


CONCLUSIONS
In the examined population, HBoV was the third most common virus detected but with a high rate of co-infection with other respiratory viruses. Human bocavirus appeared to be the etiological agent in some pneumonia and bronchiolitis cases in which tests for all likely respiratory pathogens were negative.
Pierangeli
Alessandra
A
Department of Experimental Medicine, Virology Section, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. alessandra.pierangeli@uniroma1.it
Scagnolari
Carolina
C
Trombetti
Simona
S
Grossi
Rosanna
R
Battaglia
Massimo
M
Moretti
Corrado
C
Midulla
Fabio
F
Antonelli
Guido
G
D000293:Adolescent; D052660:Bocavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004890:Erythema / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000821:virology; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D012229:Rhinovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012384:Rome / Q000453:epidemiology