Impact of RSV Coinfection on Human Bocavirus in Children with Acute Respiratory Infections

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess epidemiological and clinical features of human bocavirus (HBoV) coinfection with other viruses. Method: Children coinfected with HBoV between January 2012 and December 2014 were enrolled and retrospectively reviewed. Result: A total of 984 patients were stratified into five groups: HBoV infection alone (n = 249), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection alone (n = 649), HBoV coinfection with RSV (n = 28), with human rhinovirus (HRV) (n = 39) and with other virus (n = 19). Length of hospitalization was longer in HBoV coinfection with RSV group than HBoV (9.0 days vs. 7.0 days, p = 0.001), RSV (9.0 days vs. 8.0 days, p = 0.016) infection alone group. Pneumonia was more common in the HBoV coinfection with RSV group compared with the HBoV, RSV infection alone group, respectively (75.0% vs. 44.2%, 31.3%, p<0.001). HBoV DNA copy numbers (383 000 copies/ml) were positively correlated with the length of hospitalization (r = 0.334, p<0.001). Conclusion: HBoV coinfection with RSV increases HBoV infection severity.