Molecular epidemiology and clinical severity of Human Bocavirus (HBoV) 1–4 in children with acute gastroenteritis from Pune, Western India

Abstract

Although acute gastroenteritis is a major public health problem worldwide, ∼40% of the cases remain undiagnosed for any etiological agent. Human Bocavirus (HBoV) has been detected frequently in feces of diarrhoeic children suggesting its possible etiological involvement in the disease. HBoV has not been reported in association with acute gastroenteritis from India. Fecal samples (n = 418) collected from children (age ≤5 years) hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis, between January 2009 and December 2011, from three local hospitals were examined for presence of HBoV using PCR targeting the partial VP1/VP2 capsid region (∼575 bp) followed by phylogenetic analysis. HBoV was detected in 24/418 (5.7%) cases. Co-infection was observed in 5/24 (21%) cases. HBoV infections occurred in children ≤12 months of age. Peak HBoV activity was observed in monsoon and post monsoon season. All four HBoV genotypes were detected in the study region. Major clinical symptoms of HBoV mono infections included diarrhoea (100%), fever (90%), dehydration (74%), and vomiting (58%). Dehydration was observed in all of the HBoV2-4 cases and in 50% of the HBoV1 cases. Clinical severity varied with genotype (HBoV2 > HBoV1 > HBoV3 > HBoV4). HBoV2 cases recorded severe and very severe infections. The study illustrates prevalence and vast genetic diversity of HBoVs in acute gastroenteritis. It highlights the clinical features of HBoV1-4 infections and sheds light on clinical impact of HBoV genotypes in gastroenteritis. J. Med. Virol. 89:17-23, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Changing pattern of genotypic circulation of human bocavirus variants associated with acute gastroenteritis in Pune, Western India: A 5‐year retrospective study

“…Ninety‐three percent of the HBoV2 infections resulted in severe gastroenteritis while 7% were responsible for very severe infection (Supporting Information). Clinical severity of HBoV associated acute gastroenteritis has been reported earlier in a single study so far . During the 5‐year study period, all four HBoV genotypes (HBoV1‐HBoV4) were identified in Pune, Western India.…”

“…With the advent of the rotavirus vaccine, the proportion of rotavirus cases has reduced however; other enteric viruses continually cause severe infections. In our previous study, HBoV2 has been reported to cause severe infections . The changing pattern of circulation of HBoV genotypes further emphasizes the need to conduct similar surveillance studies among different geographical regions in India.…”

“…Human bocavirus (HBoV) has frequently been detected in fecal samples of children with acute gastroenteritis suggesting its important role in the disease . In our previous study, we have described the genetic diversity and genotype associated severity of HBoV in acute gastroenteritis . The present study aims at understanding the epidemiology and changing pattern of HBoV circulation among acute gastroenteritis cases in Pune, Western India, over a study period of 5 years (2007‐2011).…”

“…HBoV was detected by polymerase chain reaction amplification of the Capsid region as previously described . Positive amplicons were sequenced using the Genetic Analyzer platform . Representative sequences were submitted to the GenBank under following accession numbers (KU667128‐KU667151).…”

Prevalence of rotavirus and human bocavirus in immunosuppressed individuals after renal transplantation in the Northern Region of Brazil

“…With regard to reported symptoms in HBoV‐positive cases, none of the evaluated symptoms was also associated with the infection. In a study conducted in India, it was found that among HBoV positive cases, 100% had diarrhea, 90% fever, 74% dehydration, and 58% vomiting . In the city of São Paulo, it was found that cough and runny nose were the symptoms reported by an adult patient transplanted from bone marrow and the HBoV detection was performed only in a sample of the respiratory tract .…”