The characteristics of respiratory bocavirus infection in acutely sick children admitted to a tertiary hospital in Jordan

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The clinical manifestations of human bocavirus infections are diverse, ranging from mild common cold to severe lower respiratory tract infections. Bocaviruses have frequently been codetected with other respiratory viruses. We aimed to estimate the burden of bocavirus and multiple viral infections and to investigate the risk factors associated with these infections. METHODS: This study was a retrospective chart review of admitted patients. The medical records of the included children were searched, and data on demographics, clinical presentation, imaging, laboratory and nasopharyngeal swab results were collected. RESULTS: A total of 157 patients were included. Most of the patients were males (62.1%) and under 6 months of age (52%). The 3 most common symptoms presented in the patients were cough (81.8%), rhinorrhea (58.6%) and fever (55.8%). Bocavirus DNA was detected in 12.66% of the patients, while 22.30% had multiple viruses. Age distribution was significantly different between bocavirus and nonbocavirus groups, with a lower proportion of bocavirus infection in all age groups (P = 0.032). The X-ray patterns significantly differed between the 2 study groups, with a lower number of patients in the bocavirus group having normal X-rays (P = 0.007). Patients infected with multiple viruses had more severe respiratory distress symptoms and diarrhea than those infected with only 1 virus. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of multiple viruses and bocavirus respiratory infections is significant. This study can guide physicians toward the clinical presentation and characteristics of children with respiratory bocavirus and multiple viral infections and propose future studies conducted in this regard.