Clinical Assessment and Improved Diagnosis of Bocavirus-induced Wheezing in Children, Finland |
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| Authors: | Maria S?derlund-Venermo Anne Lahtinen Tuomas Jartti Lea Hedman Kaisa Kemppainen Pasi Lehtinen Tobias Allander Olli Ruuskanen Klaus Hedman |
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| Affiliation: | University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (M. Söderlund-Venermo, A. Lahtinen, L. Hedman, K. Kemppainen, K. Hedman);Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki (L. Hedman, K. Hedman) Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland (T. Jartti, P. Lehtinen, O. Ruuskanen);Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden (T. Allander);Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm (T. Allander) |
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| Abstract: | Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a widespread respiratory virus. To improve diagnostic methods, we conducted immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM enzyme immunoassays with recombinant virus–like particles of HBoV as antigen. Acute-phase and follow-up serum samples from 258 wheezing children and single serum samples from 115 healthy adults in Finland were examined. Our assays had a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 99.5%. Of adults, 96% had immunity; none had an acute infection. Of 48 children with serologically diagnosed acute HBoV infections, 45 were viremic and 35 had virus in nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs). Of 39 HBoV NPA PCR–positive children co-infected with another virus, 64% had a serologically verified HBoV infection. HBoV caused illness of longer duration than rhinovirus and of equal severity to that of respiratory syncytial virus. Among children with bronchiolitis, >25% had acute HBoV infections. Accurate HBoV diagnosis requires serologic analysis or PCR of serum; PCR of NPAs alone is insufficient. |
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| Keywords: | Bocavirus viruses nasopharyngeal samples serodiagnosis respiratory infection bronchiolitis children clinical assessment Finland research |
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