Two cases of severe obstructive pneumonia associated with an HKU1-like coronavirus

Abstract

Background: During the last few years a number of previously undescribed viruses, including human metapneumovirus, coronaviruses SARS, NL63 and HKU1, and bocavirus, were identified in nasopharyngeal samples from patients with signs of respiratory infections. These viruses may cause mild to life-threatening infections.

Objectives: Nasopharyngeal samples from hospitalized pediatric patients with respiratory disease were analysed for the presence of coronaviruses and other well known and newly identified respiratory viruses.

Results: Two clinical cases of a severe obstructive pneumonia, which were associated with the presence of RNA of a novel variant (subtype) of HKU1 coronavirus in the nasopharyngeal aspirates, were identified.

Discussion: The detection of a HKU1-like coronavirus in pediatric patients in the current study complement the most recent independent finding of similar or closely related coronaviruses in patients with respiratory diseases in France (Vabret et al. 2006) and Norway (Jonassen et al., see accompanying manuscript). These observations indicate a wide dissemination of HKU1-like coronaviruses in Europe.