Features of metapneumovirus and bocavirus infections in children

Abstract

Objective: to study the epidemiological and clinical and laboratory features of metapneumovirus (HMPV) and bokavirus infections (HBoV) in children.Materials and methods. We examined 772 children aged 1 month to 14 years, who were being treated for acute respiratory viral infections at the Kirov infectious diseases clinical hospital in 201 6—201 9. Diagnostics was performed by PCR in nasopharyngeal smears.Results. Among patients with a confirmed diagnosis, 53 (6.9%) had metapneumovirus infection, and 76 (9.8%) had bokavirus infection. Both groups were dominated by boys. HMPV was more often registered among children from one to three years of age, HBoV — in patients of the first year of life. Mixed infection was more common with HBoV in children of the first three years of life. These infections are characterized by damage to both the upper and lower respiratory tracts with the development of obstruction syndrome, which was more often observed in HBoV. Pneumonia was developed in half of the cases in both groups. Gastroenteritis was registered in patients with HMPV in 1 9% of cases, and in patients with HBoV in 1 3% of cases.

Keywords

• bocavirus
• metapneumovirus
• acute respiratory viral infections
• children
• hospitalization