[Detection of human bocavirus in children from Tucuman and Santa Fe, Argentina].
BACKGROUND
A large proportion of acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI) remain without etiologic diagnosis, reason why new pathogens are investigated continuously. Human bocavirus (HBoV) was discovered in 2005, as a new member of Parvoviridae family and proposed to cause ARTI.


OBJECTIVE
To know the prevalence of HBoV among pediatric populations hospitalized for ARTI in two provinces of Argentina: Santa Fe and Tucuman; and to describe epidemiological and clinical aspects associated to its detection.


METHODS
We studied nasopharyn-geal aspirates of patients younger than 5 years old that were hospitalized during 2013 due ARTI. HBoV DNA was assayed using PCR described by Allander et al. Traditional virnses were studied by immunofluorescence. Personal, clinical and epidemiological data were collected in a standardized form.


RESULTS
The HBoV was detected in 7% of the samples and was prevalent in spring and summer and in children younger of 2 years old. Other respiratory viruses were detected in 22% of HBoV positive samples.


CONCLUSIONS
We detected HBoV in these two provinces of Argentina. Further studies should be performed to determine if it's a recent infection or prolonged viral shedding.
M Verónica
MV
Vera-Garate
Juan Manuel
JM
Rudi
Alejandra
A
Gómez
Fabiana
F
Molina
María Florencia
MF
Viotti
Lucila
L
Ortellao
Judith
J
Pierini
Natalia
N
Sioli
Raquel
R
Cociglio
Ana María
AM
Zamora
Gustavo
G
Ru Z de Huidobro
Dardo
D
Costas
Susana
S
López de Caillou
Stella Maris
SM
Sánchez
Nora
N
Mamaní
Rosanna
R
Leva
Graciela
G
Rodríguez
Sara
S
Gallardo
Gabriela
G
Kusznierz
D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections; D005260:Female; D056661:Human bocavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors