Background: Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a newly discovered parvovirus found in children with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI).
Objectives: 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.
Patients and 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.