title: [Human bocavirus in Chile: clinical characteristics and epidemiological profile in children with acute respiratory tract infections].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a newly discovered parvovirus found in children with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the epidemiological and clinical profile of children < 5 years old consulting for ARTI, comparing cases of HBoV monoinfection and coinfection with other known respiratory viruses. Furthermore, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of viral shedding in asymptomatic children and perform phylogenetic analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the presence of HBoV in nasopharyngeal secretions from children consulting for AlRTI and among asymptomatic controls, between 2007 and 2008, by polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HBoV was detected in 79 (21.8%) of 362 nasopharyngeal swabs obtained from children with ARTI. In 60/79 (76%), coinfection with other respiratory viruses was confirmed. Most common symptoms were cough, fever and rhinorrhea. Children infected only with HBoV showed significantly lower frequencies of respiratory distress, oxygen requirements and hospital admission than those with coinfection. HBoV was detected in 6/16 (37.5%) samples from asymptomatic children. The phylogenetic analysis of viruses from Chilean patients revealed that circulating HBoV was closely related to original strains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HBoV was found either in symptomatic and asymptomatic children. The severity of the disease was greater when HBoV was associated to other respiratory viruses.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Flores C
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vizcaya A
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Araos B
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Montecinos P
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Godoy M
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valiente-Echeverría
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perret P
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Valenzuela C
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirsch B
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrés G
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D056661:Human bocavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D012621:Seasons