Abstract
A new virus was recently discovered by molecular techniques in respiratory samples collected from young children with respiratory disease. This virus is a new member of the Parvoviridae family and has been classified in the Bocavirus genus. This virus, named human bocavirus, is genetically related to the bovine parvovirus and the canine minute virus, which both belong to the Bocavirus genus. Recent studies conducted in different countries have shown that this virus is found in 3–18% of children with respiratory disease worldwide, and a seasonal distribution with a peak in winter and spring is suspected. Genetic analysis has indicated that this virus has low genetic variability. The clinical signs observed in patients infected with human bocavirus are not different from those caused by other respiratory viruses. Given the frequent association of human bocavirus with other respiratory pathogens, the exact role played by this virus in human diseases still remains unclear, and further studies including control subjects are needed to ascertain the pathogenic potential of this virus.
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