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. 2024 Oct 19;16(10):1637.
doi: 10.3390/v16101637.

The Role of Quantitative PCR in Evaluating the Clinical Significance of Human Bocavirus Detection in Children

Maja Mijač  1   2 , Tomislav Meštrović  3   4   5 , Irena Ivković-Jureković  6   7 , Tatjana Tot  8 , Jasmina Vraneš  1   2 , Sunčanica Ljubin-Sternak  1   2
Affiliations

The Role of Quantitative PCR in Evaluating the Clinical Significance of Human Bocavirus Detection in Children

Maja Mijač et al. Viruses. .

Abstract

Human bocavirus (HBoV) has emerged as a significant pathogen primarily associated with respiratory infections in children. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical relevance of HBoV infection by quantifying viral loads in nasopharyngeal swabs from hospitalized children with acute respiratory infections (ARIs) and investigating correlations with clinical outcomes. A total of 957 children were tested, with HBoV detected in 73 cases (7.6%), either as a sole infection or co-infection with other respiratory viruses. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was employed to measure viral load, and a threshold of 104 copies/mL was used to differentiate high and low viral concentrations. Results have shown that children with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) had significantly higher viral loads, most notably in cases where HBoV was the sole pathogen. Additionally, children with pre-existing health conditions were more likely to have elevated HBoV concentrations compared to those who were previously healthy. Children with higher viral loads were more likely to require oxygen supplementation and receive empirical antibiotic therapy, indicating a more severe clinical course. This study underscores the importance of considering HBoV viral load in clinical diagnostics, as higher concentrations were associated with more severe presentations, including the need for oxygen support. Future research should focus on refining diagnostic thresholds and exploring HBoV's role in co-infections to enhance patient care strategies.

Keywords: acute respiratory infection; co-detection; human bocavirus; lower respiratory tract infection; molecular diagnostics; pediatric infections; polymerase chain reaction (PCR); viral load.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Age distribution of all tested children (n = 957); (b) age distribution of children positive for HBoV (n = 73).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Measured oxygen saturation (SpO2) values in children positive for HBoV (n = 64).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Findings of radiological examination in children positive for HBoV (n = 44).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Concentration of HBoV in nasopharyngeal secretions of children with upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and no other virus detected, with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and no other virus detected, those who needed oxygen supplementation, and those with mixed infections (HBoV qPCR: Result of HBoV concentration; Cut-off 1 = 104 copies/mL, Cut-off 2 = 106 copies/mL).
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