Evidence of human bocavirus circulating in children and adults, Cleveland, Ohio

BACKGROUND: Viral respiratory illness is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The human bocavirus (HBoV) is a recently recognized parvovirus isolated from human respiratory secretions.

OBJECTIVES: To define the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics in adult and pediatric patients with evidence of HBoV.

STUDY DESIGN: From October 2005 through October 2006, we screened respiratory samples from children and adults negative for common respiratory pathogens for HBoV by PCR. Demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained from medical records of HBoV positive individuals.

RESULTS: Of 2075 samples screened, 1826 (88.0%) represented distinct respiratory events: 1539 (84.3%) were pediatric (<18 years), and 273 (15.0%) adult (> or =18 years). Forty (2.2%) patients had HBoV: 36 (2.3%) children and 4 (1.5%) adults. HBoV positive children had history of prematurity (31.3%) and cardiac disease (18.8%). Adults had underlying pulmonary (100%) and cardiac (50%) disease. Twenty-seven children (84.4%) were hospitalized; 9 (28.1%) required intensive care. All adults were hospitalized; none required intensive care. Nosocomial acquisition likely occurred in 3 patients.

CONCLUSIONS: HBoV circulates in Cleveland, OH, in children and adults with similar frequencies, and can warrant hospitalization and intensive care. Further study would clarify our understanding of this newly recognized human pathogen.