Human coronavirus NL63 in children: epidemiology, disease spectrum, and genetic diversity.
1. Human coronaviruses (HCoVs)were detected in 2.5% of 2982 local children hospitalised for acute respiratory infections in 2005 to 2007. 2. Using the 'pancoronavirus' reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay, detection rates were 0.6% for HCoVNL63,1.2% for HCoV-OC43,0.5% for HCoV-HKU1, and 0.2% for HCoV-229E. Notably, HCoV-NL63 infections were significantly more common among children hospitalised in 2006/2007 (1.2%) than in 2005/2006 (0.3%).3. The peak season for HCoVNL63 infection was autumn(September to October). 4. HCoV-NL63 infection was associated with younger age,croup, febrile convulsion, and acute gastroenteritis. Such disease associations were not found with the other three HCoVs. 5. Most local HCoV-NL63 isolates were closely related to the prototype strain in Netherlands(NL496), but a few were phylogenetically distinct from the major cluster.
Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital.
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D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D028941:Coronavirus 229E, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D058957:Coronavirus NL63, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D028962:Coronavirus OC43, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D015751:Genes, pol; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils; D010802:Phylogeny; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012621:Seasons; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D002097:C-Reactive Protein