Serologically verified human bocavirus pneumonia in children

Abstract

Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a newly identified parvovirus frequently found in children suffering from acute respiratory and intestinal infections. The aim of the present study was to evaluate, by using a newly developed antibody assay, the role of HBoV in pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and the seropositivity rate to HBoV in a prospective study in North-Italian children. During a 15-month study period, 124 children were admitted due to presumptive pneumonia, and in 101 of them, pneumonia was radiologically confirmed. The etiology of CAP was studied by antibody assays to 16 microbes, including the newly developed enzyme immunoassay for HBoV. Serological evidence of acute HBoV infection was found in 12 (12%) children, being single in 7 and mixed in 5 cases (4 with other viruses and 3 with bacteria). IgM was positive in 11 cases. A diagnostic rise in IgG antibodies between paired sera was observed in six cases. HBoV was the second most common virus next to respiratory syncytial virus (17%). The seropositivity rate to HBoV increased with age, reaching nearly 100% before school age. The present results show that HBoV is able to induce significant antibody responses and suggest that HBoV may be a fairly common cause of pneumonia in children. Seroconversion to HBoV in most children takes place in early childhood.