title: Detection of spliced mRNA from human bocavirus 1 in clinical samples from children with respiratory tract infections.
abstract: Human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) is a parvovirus associated with respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in children, but a causal relation has not yet been confirmed. To develop a qualitative reverse transcription PCR to detect spliced mRNA from HBoV1 and to determine whether HBoV1 mRNA correlated better with RTIs than did HBoV1 DNA, we used samples from HBoV1 DNA-positive children, with and without RTIs, to evaluate the test. A real-time reverse transcription PCR, targeting 2 alternatively spliced mRNAs, was developed. HBoV1 mRNA was detected in nasopharyngeal aspirates from 33 (25%) of 133 children with RTIs but in none of 28 controls (p<0.001). The analytical sensitivity and specificity of the test were good. Our data support the hypothesis that HBoV1 may cause RTIs, and we propose that HBoV1 mRNA could be used with benefit, instead of HBoV1 DNA, as a diagnostic target.
authors.affiliation: Trondheim University Hospital, and Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Children’s and Women’s Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. a.christensen@ntnu.no
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Døllner
authors.forename: Lars Høsøien
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Skanke
authors.forename: Sidsel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krokstad
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moe
authors.forename: Svein Arne
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Nordbø
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; 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* / Q000821:virology; D012326:RNA Splicing; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Human bocavirus; children; mRNA; parvovirus; polymerase chain reaction; respiratory tract infections; splicing; viruses