Human Bocavirus: Passenger or Pathogen in Acute Respiratory Tract Infections?

SUMMARY Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a newly identified virus tentatively assigned to the family Parvoviridae, subfamily Parvovirinae, genus Bocavirus. HBoV was first described in 2005 and has since been detected in respiratory tract secretions worldwide. Herein we review the literature on HBoV and discuss the biology and potential clinical impact of this virus. Most studies have been PCR based and performed on patients with acute respiratory symptoms, from whom HBoV was detected in 2 to 19% of the samples. HBoV-positive samples have been derived mainly from infants and young children. HBoV DNA has also been detected in the blood of patients with respiratory tract infection and in fecal samples of patients with diarrhea with or without concomitant respiratory symptoms. A characteristic feature of HBoV studies is the high frequency of coinciding detections, or codetections, with other viruses. Available data nevertheless indicate a statistical association between HBoV and acute respiratory tract disease. We present a model incorporating these somewhat contradictory findings and suggest that primary HBoV infection causes respiratory tract symptoms which can be followed by prolonged low-level virus shedding in the respiratory tract. Detection of the virus in this phase will be facilitated by other infections, either simply via increased sample cell count or via reactivation of HBoV, leading to an increased detection frequency of HBoV during other virus infections. We conclude that the majority of available HBoV studies are limited by the sole use of PCR diagnostics on respiratory tract secretions, addressing virus prevalence but not disease association. The ability to detect primary infection through the development of improved diagnostic methods will be of great importance for future studies seeking to assign a role for HBoV in causing respiratory illnesses.

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Role of Probiotics in Stimulating the Immune System in Viral Respiratory Tract Infections: A Narrative Review

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12103163 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 3163

Author(s):

Liisa Lehtoranta ◽

Sinikka Latvala ◽

Markus J. Lehtinen

Keyword(s):

Immune System ◽

Respiratory Tract ◽

Clinical Studies ◽

Viral Infections ◽

Narrative Review ◽

Virus Infections ◽

Respiratory Illnesses ◽

Upper Respiratory ◽

Tract Infections ◽

Viral Respiratory

Viral respiratory tract infection (RTI) is the most frequent cause of infectious illnesses including the common cold. Pharmacological solutions for treating or preventing viral RTIs are so far limited and thus several self-care products are available in the market. Some dietary supplements such as probiotics have been shown to modulate immune system function and their role in reducing the risk and the course of RTIs has been investigated extensively within the past decade. However, the mechanism of action and the efficacy of probiotics against viral RTIs remains unclear. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Knowledge for pre-clinical and clinical studies investigating the effect of probiotics on respiratory virus infections, immune response, and the course of upper and lower respiratory tract illness. The literature summarized in this narrative review points out that specific probiotic strains seem effective in pre-clinical models, through stimulating the immune system and inhibiting viral replication. Clinical studies indicate variable efficacy on upper respiratory illnesses and lack proof of diagnosed viral infections. However, meta-analyses of clinical studies indicate that probiotics could be beneficial in upper respiratory illnesses without specific etiology. Further studies aiming at discovering the mechanisms of action of probiotics and clinical efficacy are warranted.

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Upper Respiratory Tract Diseases in Athletes in Different Sports Disciplines

Journal of Human Kinetics ◽

10.1515/hukin-2016-0014 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 53 (1) ◽

pp. 99-106 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Anna Gałązka-Franta ◽

Edyta Jura-Szołtys ◽

Wojciech Smółka ◽

Radosław Gawlik

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Tract ◽

Allergic Diseases ◽

Medical Problem ◽

Diagnostic Methods ◽

Respiratory Tract Diseases ◽

Upper Respiratory Tract ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Upper Respiratory ◽

Tract Disease ◽

Tract Infections

AbstractUpper respiratory tract diseases in athletes are a very common medical problem. Training conditions in different sports disciplines increase the risk of upper respiratory disease. Epidemiological evidence suggests that heavy acute or chronic exercise is related to an increased incidence of upper respiratory tract infections in athletes. Regular physical exercise at high intensity may lead to transient immunosuppression due to high prevalence of allergic diseases in athletes. Regardless of the cause they can exclude athletes from the training program and significantly impair their performance. In the present work, the most common upper respiratory tract diseases in athletes taking into account the disciplines in which they most often occur were presented. The focus was laid on symptoms, diagnostic methods and pharmacotherapy. Moreover, preventive procedures which can help reduce the occurrence of upper respiratory tract disease in athletes were presented. Management according to anti-doping rules, criteria for return to training and competition as an important issues of athlete’s health were discussed.

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Phylogenetic Analysis of Human Bocavirus Isolated from Children with Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Baghdad, Iraq

10.36295/asro.2020.23132 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (01) ◽

pp. 250-259

Author(s):

Duraid Ali Hasan ◽

Areej Atiyah Hussein ◽

Qasim Sharhan Al-Mayah ◽

Iman M Aufi

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Respiratory Tract ◽

Lower Respiratory Tract ◽

Respiratory Tract Infections ◽

Human Bocavirus ◽

Lower Respiratory Tract Infections ◽

Tract Infections

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Respiratory tract damage with bocavirus infection in children

CHILDREN INFECTIONS ◽

10.22627/2072-8107-2020-19-2-14-18 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 14-18

Author(s):

E. V. Sharipova ◽

I. V. Babachenko ◽

M. A. Shcherbatyh

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Tract ◽

Lower Respiratory Tract ◽

Clinical Manifestations ◽

Respiratory Viruses ◽

Community Acquired Pneumonia ◽

Human Bocavirus ◽

Long Time ◽

Clinically Significant ◽

Tract Infections ◽

Tract Damage

Long time the main pathogens associated with the development of community-acquired pneumonia were bacteria. However, in recent years in the Russian Federation, like all over the world, the view of the damage of lower respiratory tract changed, including a unique approach to community-acquired pneumonia as a bacterial infection, and respiratory viruses have become seen as a direct cause of lower respiratory tract damage, or as part of a viral-bacterial co-infection. These studies became possible since the widespread introduction of PCR techniques in the clinical setting, identification of respiratory viruses has increased and new microorganisms such, one as human bocavirus have been discovered. Objective: to study the features of respiratory tract damage in acute bocavirus infection in children of different ages. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of 97 medical hospital documentation of children with acute bocavirus infection, detected confirmed by PCR in nasopharyngeal aspirate. Results: In this work, it was shown that human bocavirus spread throughout the year with an increase in the incidence of clinically significant forms in the autumnwinter period, including during the period of an increase in the incidence of influenza. HBoV infection requiring hospitals is most significant in the first three years of life. In 74.2% of hospitalized children, bocavirus infection occurs with lower respiratory tract infections in the form of bronchitis — 77.8%, pneumonia — 28.9% and rarely bronchiolitis and is complicated by the development of respiratory failure in 28.9% of cases. Changes in the blood test are non-specific, and the level of C-reactive protein in children with various clinical manifestations of HBoV infection generally does not exceed 50 mg / l. An x-ray of the chest organs does not objectively reflect the existing volume and nature of the inflammatory process in the lungs.

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The local antibody response to R.S. virus infection in the respiratory tract

Journal of Hygiene ◽

10.1017/s0022172400023275 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 72 (1) ◽

pp. 111-120 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

R. Scott ◽

P. S. Gardner

Keyword(s):

Virus Infection ◽

Respiratory Tract ◽

Acute Phase ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Geometric Mean ◽

High Titre ◽

Virus Infections ◽

Mean Values ◽

Neutralizing Activity ◽

Tract Infections

SUMMARYNasopharyngeal secretions were taken during the acute phase of illness from 66 infants and children admitted to hospital with lower respiratory tract infections. Second secretions were taken, after an interval of 7 days, from 33 of these patients. A significant increase in neutralizing activity to R.S. virus was demonstrated in the nasopharyngeal secretions of patients in response to severe R.S. virus infection. Seventeen out of 25 patients (68%) with R.S. virus infections developed a rise in secretory neutralizing titre, compared with only 1 out of 8 patients (13%) with respiratory infections not involving R.S. virus.A high titre of secretory neutralizing activity was found more often in the acute phase of illness in patients with R.S. virus infections, especially bronchiolitis, than in patients with respiratory infections not involving R.S. virus. Fifteen out of 34 patients (44%) with R.S. virus bronchiolitis were found to possess a neutralizing titre of 1/4 or more in their first secretions, compared with 4 out of 12 patients (33%) with R.S. virus infections other than bronchiolitis and 3 out of 20 patients (15%) with respiratory infections not involving R.S. virus.A quantitative analysis of the immunoglobulins present in the secretions indicated that IgA was the only immunoglobulin consistently present at a detectable concentration. The geometric mean values of IgA, IgM and IgG in the secretions examined were found to be 22·3, 4·3 and 5·3 mg./lOO ml. respectively.The neutralizing activity against R.S. virus, present in the secretions, was shown to be due to specific IgA antibody. This was accomplished by removing the neutralizing activitv in two secretions bv absorotion with anti-IaA serum.

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Social contact patterns of infants in deciding vaccination strategy: a prospective, cross-sectional, single-centre study

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268818001048 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 146 (9) ◽

pp. 1157-1166 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

M. M. Oguz ◽

A. D. Camurdan ◽

F. N. Aksakal ◽

M. Akcaboy ◽

E. Altinel Acoglu

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Tract ◽

Respiratory Symptoms ◽

Whooping Cough ◽

Social Contact ◽

Vaccination Strategy ◽

Median Number ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Contact Patterns ◽

Single Centre Study ◽

Tract Infections

AbstractSocial contact between individuals is believed to be a fundamental cause in the transmission of many respiratory tract infections. Because they have not yet been fully vaccinated, infants are at high risk for contracting whooping cough, influenza and their serious complications. Therefore, determining infant social contact patterns is an important step in protecting them from respiratory tract infection. This study included 1200 healthy infants (<12 months of age). Social contact diaries were used to estimate the frequency and nature of the infants’ social contacts. This survey also gathered information regarding the infants’ respiratory symptoms and their frequency of attendance at crowded places over a period of 1 week. The diary return rate was 83.8% (N = 1006), and there was a total of 4706 contacts reported for these infants. The median daily contact number per capita was 4 (range 1–18). The median number of contacts with adolescents was 0 (range 0–7). Of the infants, 50.3% had contact with non-household individuals. The mothers had the longest contacts with their babies. Contacts with school children, frequency of attendance at crowded places and age were determined to be significant effective factors for reporting respiratory symptoms. Results suggest that school-age siblings and the mothers should be primarily vaccinated, and parents should keep their babies away from crowded places for protecting their infants.

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1756. Role of Human bocavirus Respiratory Tract Infection in Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofz360.1619 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. S645-S645

Author(s):

Chikara Ogimi ◽

Emily T Martin ◽

Hu Xie ◽

Angela P Campbell ◽

Alpana Waghmare ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tract Infection ◽

Respiratory Tract ◽

Respiratory Tract Infection ◽

Retrospective Review ◽

Respiratory Symptoms ◽

Hematopoietic Cell ◽

Human Bocavirus ◽

Cell Transplant ◽

Hematopoietic Cell Transplant ◽

Allogeneic Hct

Abstract Background Limited data exist regarding the impact of human bocavirus (BoV) in hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients. We examined incidence and disease spectrum of BoV respiratory tract infection (RTI) in HCT recipients. Methods In a longitudinal surveillance study of viral RTIs among allogeneic HCT recipients, pre-HCT and weekly post-HCT nasal washes and symptom surveys were collected through day 100, then every 3 months, and whenever respiratory symptoms occurred through 1-year post-HCT. Samples were tested by multiplex semi-quantitative PCR for RSV, parainfluenza virus 1–4, influenza A/B, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, rhinovirus, coronavirus, and BoV. Plasma samples from BoV+ subjects were analyzed by PCR. In addition, we conducted a retrospective review of HCT recipients with BoV detected in bronchoalveolar lavage or lung biopsy. Results Among 469 patients in the prospective cohort, 21 distinct BoV RTIs (3 pre-HCT and 18 post-HCT) were observed by 1-year post-HCT in 19 patients (median 42 years old, range 0–67) without apparent seasonality. BoV was more frequently detected in the latter half of the first 100 days post-HCT (Figure 1). The frequencies of respiratory symptoms in patients with BoV detected did not appear to be higher than those without any virus detected, with the exception of watery eyes (P < 0.01) (Figure 2). Univariable models among patients with BoV RTI post-HCT showed higher peak viral load in nasal samples (P = 0.04) and presence of respiratory copathogens (P = 0.03) were associated with presence of respiratory symptoms; however, BoV detection in plasma was not (P = 0.8). Retrospective review identified 6 allogeneic HCT recipients (range 1–64 years old) with BoV detected in lower respiratory tract specimens [incidence rate of 0.4% (9/2,385) per sample tested]. Although all 6 cases presented with hypoxemia, 4 had significant respiratory copathogens or concomitant conditions that contributed to respiratory compromise. No death was attributed mainly to BoV lower RTI. Conclusion BoV is infrequently detected in respiratory tract in HCT recipients. Our studies did not demonstrate convincing evidence that BoV is a significant pathogen in either upper or lower respiratory tracts. Watery eyes were associated with BoV detection. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

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Role of Human Bocavirus Respiratory Tract Infection in Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients

Clinical Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/cid/ciaa1149 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Chikara Ogimi ◽

Emily T Martin ◽

Hu Xie ◽

Angela P Campbell ◽

Alpana Waghmare ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Tract ◽

Lower Respiratory Tract ◽

Hematopoietic Cell ◽

Respiratory Pathogen ◽

Human Bocavirus ◽

Cell Transplant ◽

Transplant Recipients ◽

Hematopoietic Cell Transplant ◽

Tract Infections ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Limited data exist regarding the impact of human bocavirus (BoV) in hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients. Methods In a longitudinal surveillance study among allogeneic HCT recipients, pre-HCT and weekly post-HCT nasal washes and symptom surveys were collected through day 100, then at least every 3 months through 1 year post-HCT at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (2005–2010). Samples were tested by multiplex semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for 12 viruses. Plasma samples from BoV + subjects were analyzed by PCR. Separately, we conducted a retrospective review of HCT recipients with BoV detected in lower respiratory tract specimens. Results Among 51 children and 420 adults in the prospective cohort, 21 distinct BoV respiratory tract infections (RTIs) were observed by 1 year post-HCT in 19 patients. Younger age and exposure to children were risk factors for BoV acquisition. Univariable models among patients with BoV RTI showed higher peak viral load in nasal samples (P = .04) and presence of respiratory copathogens (P = .03) were associated with presence of respiratory symptoms, but BoV plasma detection was not. Only watery eyes and rhinorrhea were associated with BoV RTI in adjusted models. With additional chart review, we identified 6 HCT recipients with BoV detected in lower respiratory tract specimens (incidence rate of 0.4% [9/2509] per sample tested). Although all cases presented with hypoxemia, 4 had respiratory copathogens or concomitant conditions that contributed to respiratory compromise. Conclusions BoV RTI is infrequent in transplant recipients and associated with mild symptoms. Our studies did not demonstrate convincing evidence that BoV is a serious respiratory pathogen.

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