WU and KI polyomavirus infections in Filipino children with lower respiratory tract disease

Abstract

Background: WU and KI are human polyomaviruses initially detected in the respiratory tract, whose clinical significance remains uncertain.

Objectives: To determine the epidemiology, viral load and clinical characteristics of WU and KI polyomaviruses.

Study design: We tested respiratory specimens collected during a randomized, placebo-controlled pneumococcal conjugate vaccine trial and related epidemiological study in the Philippines. We analyzed 1077 nasal washes from patients aged 6 weeks to 5 years who developed lower respiratory tract illness using quantitative real-time PCR for WU and KI. We collected data regarding presenting symptoms, signs, radiographic findings, laboratory data and coinfection.

Results: The prevalence and co-infection rates for WU were 5.3% and 74% respectively and 4.2% and 84% respectively for KI. Higher KI viral loads were observed in patients with severe or very severe pneumonia, those presenting with chest indrawing, hypoxia without wheeze, convulsions, and with KI monoinfection compared with co-infection. There was no significant association between viral load and clinical presentation for WU.

Conclusions: These findings suggest a potential pathogenic role for KI, and that there is an association between KI viral load and illness severity.

Keywords: KI; Lower respiratory tract disease; Polyomavirus; Respiratory viruses; Viral load; WU.