Scientists identify new respiratory virus

A new human virus, provisionally named human bocavirus, has been identified in the respiratory secretions of children, according to a report released Monday.

"Our approach and methodology are similar to that of the human genome project," Dr. Tobias Allander from Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, told Reuters Health. "Our finding of a rather prevalent previously unknown pathogen suggests that the screening is worth pursuing in a larger scale."

The new virus is similar to two related members of the Bocavirus family that infect cattle and dogs, report Allander and colleagues. Consequently, they propose the name "human bocavirus (HBoV)" for the new virus, writing in the research journal PNAS Early Edition.

The virus was first spotted in two specimens from Asian patients.

In a later series of screenings, 17 of 540 nasal samples proved to be positive for HBoV, the researchers found, and in 14 cases it was the only virus detected. All 14 children with HBoV for whom records were available had respiratory illness for one to four days prior to hospital admission.

None of the HBoV-infected children had gastrointestinal symptoms, conjunctivitis or rash, the authors say.

"We will of course perform additional studies on human bocavirus," Allander said. "However, in order to sort out the epidemiology, disease association, and other aspects of this infection, multiple studies from all around the world will likely be more important."

To identify other viruses, Allander explained, "we are working on a number of sample collections in collaboration with clinicians. However, we believe that the most fruitful future approach will be a broad and unbiased exploration of the viruses that infect humans, a 'human virome project.' We think such a collaborative project should be seriously discussed."

There are many diseases with no known cause, "and some of them have similarities to virus infections," he concluded. "Therefore, virus discovery is an urgent scientific task."

SOURCE: PNAS Early Edition, August 22, 2005.