Human Bocavirus Infection in Turkish Children.

The human bocavirus (HBoV) in children has been identified with an acute lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD). Its prevalence, clinical characteristics, and function as an RTD causal agent are unclear. This study sought to evaluate the laboratory and clinical data of HBoV patients, pinpoint the clinical characteristics linked to HBoV, and examine the distinctions between detecting HBoV alone and in combination with other agents. We used molecular testing to confirm the presence of HBoV DNA and 20 other respiratory pathogens in 1,739 nasopharyngeal samples from hospitalized children at the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Service. 73 children, whose median age was 15 months, had HBoV. Concomitant infection of Bocavirus with another virus was observed in 41 (56.1%) of the patients. Co-infections were observed most frequently with rhinovirus (n = 17) and respiratory syncytial virus (n = 10). There was no difference between the isolated bocavirus and co-infection groups in terms of age, clinical presentations, chest X-ray findings, or laboratory results. The role of HBoV in RTD is supported by the fact that the majority of patients were admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of pneumonia or bronchopneumonia. HBoV mainly affects the respiratory tract, but it can also cause different clinical manifestations.