Human Bocavirus in Hospitalized Iranian Adults with Respiratory Tract Infections during January-June 2014

Introduction: The epidemiology of respiratory human bocavirus (HBoV) infection has not been described in Tehran s adult and to determine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics associated with HBoV infection, a population of adults hospitalized with respiratory tract infections were chosen. Material and methods: Throat swab samples were collected from 91 hospitalized adults aged between 29 to 91 year and Real-time PCR TaqMan was used to screen specimens by amplifying a part of the NP1 gene. Results: HBoV was detected in 6 adults (6.6%). Mean age was 76 years and 67% of patients were female. The most common symptoms were wheezing (100%), tachypnea (100%), cough (100%), rhinorrhea/pharyngitis (83.33%) and fever (83.33%) which clinically diagnosed by a physician. Gastrointestinal symptoms was present only in 1 patient (16.6%). In our study the distribution of HBoV was influenced by temperature, relative humidity and precipitation. Conclusions: HBoV is circulating in Tehran and is associated with both upper and lower respiratory tract disease in adults

Keywords:

Respiratory Infections , Adults , Human Bocavirus , Real-time PCR