Human Bocavirus infection in childhood acute respiratory infection: Is it an innocent bystander?

Purpose: Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is one of the major attributing factors of under-five mortality and morbidity all over the world. Viruses are the most common cause of ARI. Due to the availability of molecular techniques, new viruses are getting isolated from children with ARI. With the above background, the present study was conducted to enlighten on the pathogenic role of human bocavirus (HBoV) in children with ARI. Methodology: This retrospective study was conducted over a period of >3 years duration. The clinical and laboratory data of the patients with signs and symptoms of ARI were retrieved and analyzed. Clinical profiles and outcome of the patients detected of having HBoV mono or co-infections were further analyzed in details. Results: A total of 237 respiratory samples were subjected to respiratory panel by fast track diagnosis (FTD) multiplex polymerase chain reaction (multiplex PCR), of which 10 samples (mono-infection = 4) were detected with the presence of HBoV. The clinical details of 8 cases were studied in details (details of rest 2 cases were missing). All the children were less than 3 years of age, with different co-morbid conditions such as low birth weight (n = 4), cholestatic jaundice (n = 1), operated case of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (n = 1), pancytopenia (n = 1), and primary immune deficiency (n = 1). Their clinical course did not improve following antibiotic administration, 2 succumbed to death while the rest 6 cases were discharged. Conclusion: The present study highlights the fact that HBoV may not be an innocent bystander in the childhood ARI. Larger studies employing appropriate diagnostic modalities are needed to emboss it as a true pathogen and not merely a bystander.