title: Single detection of human bocavirus 1 with a high viral load in severe respiratory tract infections in previously healthy children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human bocavirus is a newly discovered parvovirus. Multiple studies have confirmed the presence of human bocavirus1 (HBoV1) in respiratory tract samples of children. The viral load, presentation of single detection and its role as a causative agent of severe respiratory tract infections have not been thoroughly elucidated.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the presence of HBoV1 by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of nasopharyngeal aspirate specimens from 1229 children hospitalized for respiratory tract infections. The samples were analyzed for 15 respiratory viruses by PCR and 7 respiratory viruses by viral culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At least one virus was detected in 652 (53.1%) of 1229 children, and two or more viruses were detected in 266 (21.6%) children. HBoV1 was detected in 127 children (10.3%), in which 66/127 (52%) of the cases were the only HBoV1 virus detected. Seasonal variation was observed with a high HBoV1 infection rate in summer. A cutoff value of 107 copies/mL was used to distinguish high and low HBoV1 viral loads in the nasopharyngeal aspirates. High viral loads of HBoV1 were noted predominantly in the absence of other viral agents (28/39, 71.8%) whereas there was primarily co-detection in cases of low HBoV1 viral loads (50/88, 56.8%). There were no differences in the clinical symptoms and severity between HBoV1 single detection and co-detection. In cases of HBoV1 single detection, the high viral load group was more prevalent among children with dyspnea and wheezing than was the low viral load group (42.9% vs. 23.7%, P = 0.036; 60.7% vs. 31.6%, P = 0.018). In clinical severity, a significant difference was recorded (25.0% vs. 5.3%, P = 0.003) between high viral load and low viral load groups. Of the HBoV1 positive patients associated with severe respiratory tract infections, 10/18 (55.6%) patients belonged to the HBoV1 high viral load group, and 7/10 (70%) patients had cases of HBoV1 single detection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HBoV1 at a high viral load is not frequently found in co-detection with other respiratory viruses, and a single detection with a high viral load could be an etiological agent of severe respiratory tract infections.
authors: Lili
authors: L
authors: Zhou
authors: Shouyan
authors: S
authors: Zheng
authors: Qiuyan
authors: Q
authors: Xiao
authors: Luo
authors: L
authors: Ren
authors: Xiaohong
authors: X
authors: Xie
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Luo
authors: Lijia
authors: L
authors: Wang
authors: Ailong
authors: A
authors: Huang
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400014, P, R, China. emliu186@hotmail.com.
authors: Enmei
authors: E
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D056661:Human bocavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D012621:Seasons; D019562:Viral Load